The XF-1 is Arcturus's light exoskeleton — a semi-enclosed frame that sacrifices the XF-3's heavy armor for speed and agility. The operator wears the Jackal like an external skeleton, with articulated leg and arm amplifiers that allow sprinting at 70 km/h, jumping 6 meters vertically, and maintaining that pace for hours. The armor is minimal — enough to stop pistol calibers and fragmentation, but rifle rounds and above penetrate freely.

The Jackal is designed for reconnaissance, rapid flanking, and hit-and-run operations. Its armament is light: a forearm-mounted submachine gun and a back-mounted micro-missile pod with six rounds. The tactical concept is to move faster than the enemy can track, strike, and relocate before effective return fire can be organized. Operators describe the experience as running at highway speed through urban terrain while the world blurs.

The XF-1 uses a limited BCI interface — less immersive than the XF-3, focused on motor coordination rather than full sensory feedback. This reduces addiction risk but creates a different problem: operators report difficulty transitioning between suit-enhanced reflexes and normal human reaction times. Former Jackal pilots describe ordinary walking as feeling 'like moving through mud' and frequently display restless, agitated behavior when grounded.