Throughout the Fallout franchise, Power Armor has been one of its most iconic elements. Every version of Power Armor begins with a base chassis upon which various types of armor can be mounted. Power Armor predates the Great War, which started and ended on October 23, 2077, and resulted in the destruction of the world order and the creation of the Wasteland. In the Fallout games, players can find various types of Power Armor and equip them, with some versions being far superior to others. Instead of ranking them based on their capabilities, we’ve gone through and listed all of the different types of Power Armor that appear in canon throughout the Fallout video game franchise.
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1) T-45 Power Armor
The T-45 Power Armor was a design used during the Sino-American War and was first introduced in January 2067. It was used heavily along the Alaskan Front against Chinese invaders. The earliest models suffered from mobility issues, but after these were largely resolved, the design was significantly modified to include several variations. These included the MP-47 Prototype Medical Power Armor that administered Med-X to its driver when needed. This allowed for treatment on the battlefield, keeping the soldier in the fight for as long as possible. T-45 Power Armor has appeared in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76.
2) T-51 Power Armor
Of all the Power Armor models, the T-51 is the most recognizable. It was first introduced in Fallout, and a helmet was featured on the game’s box art. West Tek produced T-51 Power Armor before the Great War, and it was built using a special composite that shielded the wearer from radiation while providing significant increases in strength. Several variations of the T-51 model were produced for various reasons, including hardened armor, and a winterized version was used in particularly cold areas. T-51 Power Armor appeared in Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel.
3) T-60 Power Armor
The T-60 model of Power Armor was designed for combat infantry units as an evolution of the T-45’s design. It entered service after the Battle of Anchorage, so the armor was only used for a brief period before the bombs dropped. Despite this, the U.S. Army used T-60 Power Armor suits extensively across all theaters in which it was engaged, including domestically, where soldiers enforced order in the lead-up to the Great War. When the bombs dropped, T-60 Power Armor was considered to be the pinnacle of technological excellence. T-60 Power Armor appeared in Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and Fallout Shelter.
4) T-65 Power Armor
T-65 Power Armor was unique in that it was developed just before the start of the Great War. No production models were made before the bombs dropped, but schematics for the suit made it to Vault 79 via the Secret Service that was stationed at the facility. The suit differed significantly from prior models, as it used segmented armor layers rather than cast armor pieces. This added significant protection to joints and otherwise exposed areas, improving survivability for anyone inside. The armor only appeared in the Wastelanders update of Fallout 76, where players could acquire the plans and craft their own set.
5) X-01 Power Armor
Development of the X-01 Power Armor began shortly before the Great War. It was commissioned by the Joint Chiefs, who wanted a new type of armor that incorporated advanced improvements across all T-model Power Armor designs. One suit was provided to the Nuka-Cola Corporation under Project Cobalt, while a handful of suits saw further development in the years after the bombs dropped. These fell into the hands of the Institute, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Enclave, resulting in a limited production run of X-01 Power Armor suits. Eventually, the model gave rise to several variants and prototypes. X-01 Power Armor appeared in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76.
6) Advanced Power Armor Mark 1
The Enclave developed the Advanced Power Armor Mk. 1 after the Great War. Enclave soldiers wore them aboard the Oil Rig, and the Mk. 1 featured several improvements on pre-war models. It was reinforced with ceramic castings and composed of lightweight metal alloys. Its onboard system recycled urine into potable water, allowing for prolonged wear without having to exit to relieve oneself. The design looks similar to and was likely influenced by the X-01 Power Armor, which the Enclave had experience with in its infancy. The Advanced Power Armor Mark 1 appeared in Fallout 2 and Fallout: New Vegas.
7) Advanced Power Armor Mark 2
The Enclave’s Advanced Power Armor Mark 2, which is also known as the X-02 or Black Devil Power Armor, offered several enhancements over its predecessor. Its build consisted entirely of lightweight ceramic composites, providing maximum protection while keeping weight to a minimum. This made it highly lethal and easier to move in compared to earlier models of Power Armor, and the Enclave mass-produced it at Raven Rock after the events of Fallout 2. The armor could be modified in multiple ways, including integrating a Tesla device. The Advanced Power Armor Mark 2 appeared in Fallout 2 and Fallout 3.
8) Hellfire Power Armor
Following the Great War, the Enclave launched several research and development projects involving Power Armor, one of which resulted in the Hellfire Power Armor suit. One suit was completed and sent to Vault 51 in late 2080, but there wouldn’t be another for some time. By 2278, the Enclave was mass-producing Hellfire Power Armor, which was deployed to several locations across the Wasteland. While the armor offered significant protection and functioned well, it lacked a Duraframe due to the project’s cancellation, which likely reduced its survivability. Hellfire Power Armor appeared in Broken Steel and Fallout 76.
9) EXC-17 Excavator Power Armor
Not all Power Armor was explicitly developed for combat, as the existence of the EXC-17 Excavator Power Armor indicates. The Garrahan Mining Company developed the EXC-17 Excavator Power Armor to help bring human workers up to the standards of their robotic counterparts and replacements. It offered protection and enhanced strength that humans couldn’t achieve without the suit. It wasn’t fully produced, leaving only a handful of suits for Wastelanders to find and use. Responders and the Vault Dwellers of Vault 76 used several EXC-17 Excavator Power Armor suits, and they have only appeared in Fallout 76.
10) Communist Power Armor
Power Armor is an American invention, and it was employed heavily by U.S. forces in the lead-up to the Great War. Various suits were used in combat operations against Chinese forces, and while the Chinese lacked a suit of Power Armor of their own, they did cobble together some working models. These were designed from captured American Power Armor suits, resulting in Communist Power Armor. It’s unclear how many suits the Chinese had, but it’s known that some were given to Chinese Commissars. When worn, it plays lines of Chinese Communist propaganda. The Communist Power Armor appeared in Fallout 76.
11) Raider Power Armor
Raider Power Armor is an amalgam of scavenged pieces of T-45 and T-51 Power Armor. While those suits of armor had high durability, Raider Power Armor isn’t nearly as protective. These are cobbled together from scrap metal, plastered all over the suit, often including barbed wire and a frame over the helmet. It’s nowhere near as protective as a well-cared-for suit of T-45 Power Armor, but it offers more protection than a Raider’s Mark 1 skin and clothing. Raider Power Armor could be seen in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, where it’s not entirely worthless, as it does offer some protection to the wearer.
12) Hellcat Power Armor
While most Power Armor models were produced in large quantities and handed out to soldiers fighting the Communists, the Hellcat Power Armor was different. It’s a unique set of armor used by the Hellcat Mercenary Company, a faction in the Wasteland that operates in the Pitt and Appalachia. They employ roving death squads equipped with the powerful suits of armor that make them particularly dangerous to run into out on the Wasteland. As of writing, the only game to feature the Hellcat Power Armor is Fallout 76, which makes sense, given the operational areas of the Hellcat Mercenary Company.
13) Union Power Armor
After the Great War, the surviving people of the newly created Wasteland living in Appalachia formed factions, several of which operated in and around the Pitt. One such faction, the Union, produced its own post-War suit, the Union Power Armor. Its design appears to draw inspiration from several pre-War models, but its appearance differs, as it uses leftover factory materials to construct its armor pieces. This gives the armor a light-brown coloration and functions relatively well at keeping its occupant safe. Union Power Armor has only appeared sparingly in Fallout 76 as of writing.
14) Vulcan Power Armor
The Enclave conducted numerous experiments on and around Power Armor, resulting in several types of suits that demonstrated improved capabilities following the Great War. One such suit was the Vulcan Power Armor, which the Enclave developed specifically for Enclave Squad Epsilon. The elite unit was responsible for guarding Project Vulcan, a highly sensitive research study involving Ultracite crystals that caused mutations. Eventually, Enclave Squad Epsilon fell to the Scorched Plague, and their armor began to grow Ultracite crystals from its pieces, giving it a distinctive, deadly appearance. Vulcan Power Armor appeared in Fallout 76.
15) V63 Power Armor
The V63 Power Armor suit is one of the franchise’s most enigmatic. It was apparently produced at Vault 63 and can be seen worn by the so-called “Champions” of the Lost throughout Skyline Valley. Its appearance does conform to several design characteristics of other Vault 63 technologies, so it likely originated there. Instead of acquiring the suit, players could equip its paint job to any Power Armor suit. Doing so completely changes that suit’s appearance to look like the standard V63 Power Armor, so it’s entirely cosmetically transformative. V63 Power Armor has only ever appeared in Fallout 76.
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