The basic combat exoskeleton used throughout the modern Human Sphere can be traced back to the Clan Homeworlds, and they were used there by the Clans in their early years as little more than armored infantry. They were abandoned in favor of true BattleArmor when that was invented, but continued to see some use by the Civilian Castes. Such uses were most often limited to existing exoskeletons though, as the Warrior Caste rarely allowed their civilians to "waste" resources on building new versions of such obsolete hardware. They were not mass produced again until 3052, when the Inner Sphere mastered the production of such units in response to the Clan Invasion.
         Little more than an armored suit, the most basic combat exoskeletons carry no onboard weaponry or extra systems, relying on the wearer to provide their own weapons. More advanced versions sometimes sport jump jets or improved sensor units. The armor is strong enough to protect them against most weapons though, even some 'Mech-scale weapons, greatly improving the survivability of the wearer.
         With the proliferation of true BattleArmor throughout the Human Sphere though, the basic combat exoskeleton once again began to fade away as it had with the Clans. The large civilian markets of the Human Sphere and the ease of production saved it from that fate. Now used by most security firms, and by many police and even militia units, the basic security exoskeletons can be found on almost any world, even those claimed by the Invading Clans.