The original armor was incredibly durable, showing him shaking off shots from Toastmaster guns and allowing him to survive a fight with The Eradicator. It had jet-powered boots, enabling flight, [[Superhuman Strength|increased his strength ma
The Steel Armor was developed by John Henry Irons as a prototype for the US Army. He left Amertek Industries before making the project public, and kept the armor to himself. Following Superman's death, he retrieved the mothballed armor and completed it, adding a S-Shield and red cape to it in honor of the man who once saved his life. He uses the armor in conjunction with the Kinetic Hammer.
The original armor was incredibly durable, showing him shaking off shots from Toastmaster guns and allowing him to survive a fight with The Eradicator. It had jet-powered boots, enabling flight, increased his strength many times and was armed with a powerful nail gun and a large sledgehammer. However, the original armor was destroyed first when he succeeded in stopping Engine City from fully powering up then when Superboy was forced to use his Tactile Telekinesis to destroy the ravaged armor when the Cyborg Superman took control of it.
Second Armor
After his original armor was destroyed by Superboy to prevent Cyborg Superman from controlling it and killing him with it, John Henry Irons returned to the Metropolis to build a new armor.
Capabilities
Durability: Like its predecessor, the second version armor was composed of a durable steel alloy. This enabled it to survive physical stresses such as gunfire, explosion, atmospheric reentry, and the rigors of space.[1]
Sensor System: The armor was designed to mimic Superman's vision and hearing. It was able to perceive the entire electromagnetic spectrum and an expanded range of sound frequencies. In addition it had radiation and movement detectors.
Energy System: While its main power source was an array of solar cells, it was also able to absorb heat and electricity to replenish its energy reserves.[2]
Life Support: It had internal reserves of water, energy, and air. It was also equipped with a filtration/recycling system and a system to control its internal temperature. This also incorporated a breathing mask designed by Ted Kord for use in space.[3]
Teleportation: A later addition to the armor was incorporation of teleportation technology.[4]
Rivet Cannon: A short range weapon that fired red-hot rivets similar to those used in construction.
Sledgehammer: A standard sledgehammer which could be summoned and attached to the armor by electromagnets in the gauntlets and belt.[5]
Third Armor
After relocating to Jersey City, Irons redesigned his armor.
Capabilities
Durability: The third version was less durable than its predecessors, a concession made for better maneuverability.[6] While providing significant resistance to damage, it relies more on an inertial dampening field and limits thick armor to vital areas.[7]
Superhuman Strength: It increased the strength of the wearer to the point of being able to lifting 70 Tons.[8]
Flight: It could provide flight based on one of two methods. The first was from thrusters housed in the boots. The second was the ability to generate a limited anti-gravitational field.
Computerized Control Systems: It had an on-board limited artificial intelligence that coordinated most of the armors systems and fed information to the wearer. The control system also allowed the armor a degree of autonomous function. This included responding to the wearer either summoning or dismissing the armor.[9] The control system also operated as a firewall, preventing external forces from taking control of the armor. This function extended to the wearer vie the cybernetic interface preventing mind control. An extension of this function was that the system could analyze and control computer systems it was linked to.
Sensor System: The armor was designed to mimic Superman's vision and hearing. It was able to perceive the entire electromagnetic spectrum and an expanded range of sound frequencies. In addition it had radiation and movement detectors.
Energy System: While its main power source was an array of solar cells, it was also able to absorb heat and electricity to replenish its energy reserves.
Electro-Blast:The armor can realease an electrical blast to attack or to revive a person [10]
Life Support: It had internal reserves of water, energy, and air. It was also equipped with a filtration/recycling system and a system to control its internal temperature.
Shining Armor
After the old armors were corrupted B13's virus and destroyed by his niece, John Henry Irons developed a new suit of armor from scratch, called the Shining Armor.[11]
Capabilities
Superhuman Durability: The armor is made of composite high-tensile alloy with micron thick reflective sealant to shield against microwave and subatomic particle radiation.[11] The armor could survive inside Superman's stomach whose temperature is equivalent to that of a nuclear reactor, can also withstand being bathed in his stomach acid without being melted.[12]
Superhuman Strength: It increased the strength of the wearer to an unknown degree,but on one occasion Prankster wearing the armor was able to strangle a weakened Superboy to the point of stifling.[13]
Flight: It could provide flight based on thrusters housed in the boots.
Computerized Control Systems: It had an on-board limited artificial intelligence that coordinated most of the armors systems and fed information to the wearer. The control system also allowed the armor a degree of autonomous function,this included responding to the wearer either summoning or dismissing the armor. In addition the armor has a Psyber-Link which allows the user to telepathically communicate with others.[14]
Sensor System: The armor was designed to mimic Superman's vision and hearing. It was able to perceive the entire electromagnetic spectrum and an expanded range of sound frequencies. In addition it had radiation and movement detectors.
Life Support and Energy System: It's equipped with a filtration/recycling system to to recycle oxygen, remove waste and convert perspiration into portable water and a system to control its internal temperature. The armor is embedded with solar cells to keep the armor fully charged.
Telepathy Immunity:Due to the iron ore of a meteor that was used in its composition, the armor provides protection against psionic attacks.[15]
Wrist Cannons and Gauntlets: Wrist Cannons can fire metal spikes,rubber bullets and possibly concussive sonic grenades. The gauntlets can shoot an unknown form of energy,which is powerful enough to stun Supergirl.[16]
Flight: It could provide flight based on one of two methods. The first was from thrusters housed in the boots. The second was the ability to generate a limited anti-gravitational field.
Computerized Control Systems: It had an on-board limited artificial intelligence that coordinated most of the armors systems and fed information to the wearer. The control system also allowed the armor a degree of autonomous function.The control system also operated as a firewall, preventing external forces from taking control of the armor. This function extended to the wearer vie the cybernetic interface preventing mind control. An extension of this function was that the system could analyze and control computer systems it was linked to.
Sensor System: The armor was designed to mimic Superman's vision and hearing. It was able to perceive the entire electromagnetic spectrum and an expanded range of sound frequencies. In addition it had radiation and movement detectors as well as the ability to track people through their "bio-signature".[17]
Energy System: Unlike other armors, Nat's is powered by a fragment of Imperiex's armor.[18]
Life Support: It had internal reserves of water, energy, and air. It was also equipped with a filtration/recycling system and a system to control its internal temperature.
Size Alteration: It had the ability to increase it size, up to a limit of 60 feet in height.[19]
Wrist Cannons: It had sonic emitters and plasma cannons mounted in the wrists of its gauntlets.[20]
Notes
Barring esthetic changes, he used different armors in different runs:
