WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has a goal to outfit the force with more than 30 new weapons systems and other key capabilities by 2030, while also preparing for high-end adversaries in the decades that follow.
But the service is struggling to sign up new soldiers, making it hard to design a future force with an uncertain end strength.
Defense News sat down with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth in…
The fate of Army Special Operations Forces
October 10, 2023
They didn’t arrive under the cover of darkness, parachuting in from thousands of feet above, nor did they slip into a remote beach cove on a rubber boat.
The teams of special operations soldiers and Marines stood in line, handed over their passports and waited respectfully…
Beyond 2030: How Army Futures Command is adapting its approach
October 10, 2023
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army five years ago established a new four-star command, shifting billions of dollars to fund it and basing it in a tech-centric city.
The goal of Army Futures Command was clear: It needed to disrupt the service’s lengthy record of failure when it…
WASHINGTON — It’s a time-honored tradition on bases across America and around the world.
Every Monday morning, many units descend on their vehicles for “motor pool Monday” — a preventive maintenance blitz where soldiers do routine checks and services on their unit’s transportation assets.
And, according to the Army’s chief of staff, it might not be the best use of time.
“We’re…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army could contribute one-way attack drones and ground-based robotics to the Pentagon’s nascent Replicator initiative, which aims to deploy autonomous systems en masse to counter Chinese stockpiles.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks rolled out…
US Army ready to pursue electric light recon vehicle
October 10, 2023
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is ready to pursue a prototyping program for an electric light reconnaissance vehicle beginning in fiscal 2024, pending funding approval from Congress, the service’s program executive officer for combat support and combat services support told…
Uncertain fate for active protection on Army’s combat vehicles
October 10, 2023
WASHINGTON — The Army installed an active protection system on the M1 Abrams tank and fielded it in Europe, but the fate of other plans to equip similar defense measures on the service’s combat vehicles remains unclear.
In 2016, the Army determined it needed an interim solution to protect the Abrams, Stryker combat vehicle and Bradley fighting vehicle. The service decided to rapidly assess…
US Army embracing remote maintenance beyond Ukraine
October 10, 2023
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is applying the telemaintenance capability it developed in a parking lot in Poland to its most challenging logistical theater — the Indo-Pacific, according to the head of Army Materiel Command.
“It has been a great enabler to the warfight in…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is expecting a positive progress report toward achieving a clean audit for fiscal 2023, the service’s comptroller told Defense News in an interview ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference.
While the final reports won’t…
WASHINGTON — Decisions on the way forward for one of the U.S. Army’s top long-range fires priorities — the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program — won’t come until a new conventional fires strategy is complete, the service’s acquisition chief said.
“It really becomes a fiscal year 2025 budget decision, if we were to go in a different direction,” Doug Bush confirmed to Defense…
