Latest news with #ArmyTransformationInitiative
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside the US Army's C2 upgrade – what industry can expect
Within the Army Transformation Initiative, the Army's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) effort represents a fundamental change in delivering data-driven C2 to our formations. From requirements to resourcing, acquisition and contracting, every gear in the system is being rebuilt to drive smarter, faster, and more effective outcomes. The scope and pace of this change is creating both opportunities and questions as industry adapts with us. We're delivering seamlessly integrated C2 capability from corps down to squad. The key is a data integration layer that enables a rapid buildout of applications across warfighting functions such as fires, intelligence, logistics, and protection, and provides a common operating picture across all. The integrated data layer is the foundation for multifunctional artificial intelligence-enabled models that will rapidly augment decision making and speed. Commercial hardware and software is critical to achieving the NGC2 vision. The Army's tech refresh cycles for C2-enabling components lag their commercial equivalents, leading to persistent obsolescence. To overcome this we must buy truly commercial technology – not commercially-modified 'Franken-products' that make us a unique customer and take us off the path of affordability and innovation. The Army's current C2 capabilities are largely provided through individual efforts: separate requirements documents, funding lines, contracts, and acquisition programs, tied together through top-down driven architectures with pre-determined information exchanges. The isolation and rigidity of this model has largely failed to deliver adaptable or integrated capability to the field. NGC2's solution is to establish a core program that sets the foundations for an emergent technical architecture, with other ecosystem programs built around it. The NGC2 technology stack consists of a set of layers for network, computing, data, and applications, powered by commercially-driven open interfaces and common services. NGC2 also simplifies requirements via a four-page 'Characteristics of Need' that describes the problem instead of dictating the solution. Similarly, the Army is consolidating a multitude of C2-related funding lines into a combined NGC2 capability portfolio, enabling the rapid re-direction of resources as the program evolves. The Army will initially contract with two or more industry team leads who are accountable for the performance of the core program as well as the entire ecosystem. It differs from the standard systems integrator model in several ways: The Army encourages non-exclusive teams, freeing up component providers to partner across different leads; the Army will directly engage on technical, financial and contractual matters with the individual companies that are members of the industry teams, not just the team leads; the Army will minimize the amount of government-furnished information and equipment that will be directed outright; the Army will identify public-private partnerships or similar mechanisms to ensure that we maintain technical currency on NGC2 implementations, resulting in lower risk and switching costs; the Army will not cede its role as an informed buyer to technical assistance consultants who are paid by the hours they spend instead of the outcomes they drive. The Army prefers industry self-organization in identifying complimentary NGC2 solutions. However, these solutions do not all need to be provided under the team lead contract, nor under the core NGC2 program. The Army may separately contract for a component capability, or even manage it as an individual acquisition program. But in every case, the Army will discuss components with the team leads to ensure they work together with the NGC2 architecture. Vendors may bid as a team lead or serve as a component provider (or both). Vendors interested in the latter can do so through business-to-business partnership with a team lead, or directly through the Army under an associated contract agreement that connects them to a team lead. As the architecture matures, vendors can also build to the open interfaces in the NGC2 design. This will enable rapid development and procurement of applications and AI models, for example, without a direct or government-brokered relationship with any team lead. There is inherent tension between ongoing competition and the funding assurance that comes from winning contracts. To balance this, the Army intends to maintain a continuous open solicitation to enable the introduction of new capability at any time, while also advertising specific 'windows' for decision points. For example, following the current round of competition, the next window may be after the first Corps Headquarters and two Divisions are fielded. Key concepts in contracting for NGC2 capability will include fixed price and outcome-driven efforts, common sense price reasonableness determinations, and 'as a service' models for use and consumption – both for hardware and software. The Army must evolve and adapt, and its C2 systems are critical to this transformation. By simultaneously transforming Army institutional processes for requirements, resourcing, acquisition and contracting, the comprehensive strategy described here will clear a path toward this vision. Joseph Welch is the deputy to the commanding general of Army Futures Command.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - We must invest in the army we need, not the one we have
For decades, America's Army has been trapped in a cycle of spending billions of taxpayer dollars on outdated systems before they even reach the battlefield. While our soldiers stand ready to defend this country, they are often equipped with technology that belongs in a museum. The Army Transformation Initiative aims to break this cycle, ensuring that every dollar we spend protects the men and women who wear the uniform. China and Russia have refined the art of leveraging inexpensive, disposable drones and AI-enabled weapons to overwhelm their adversaries. In Ukraine, small, cheap drones have decimated million-dollar vehicles and equipment. Homemade explosives costing just a few hundred dollars have rendered sophisticated armored convoys useless. Ukraine's military, with far fewer resources and no navy of its own, crippled and drove away Russia's Black Sea fleet. All it took were drones that cost less than a single American missile. Our adversaries are learning from these tactics and rapidly adapting their strategies to field low-cost, high-impact systems. The U.S. cannot afford to remain tethered to outdated systems and procurement processes that waste taxpayer dollars and put American lives at risk. Last year, China spent $29.4 billion on drones. Ukraine, despite its wartime conditions, managed to produce four million units. The U.S., in contrast, manufactured only 50,000 drones. While our adversaries invest in cheap, rapidly deployable systems, we continue to spend millions on legacy aircraft and vehicles that cannot survive on today's battlefield. The Army Transformation Initiative is a necessary course correction. Under this initiative, the Army will cease the procurement of outdated aircraft, vehicles and weapon systems that no longer meet the demands of modern warfare. The focus will shift toward expanding the arsenal of long-range drones, AI-enabled surveillance systems, and counter-drone technology capable of neutralizing threats before they strike. This transformation extends beyond equipment. The Army is streamlining its command structure to reduce unnecessary layers of bureaucracy that slow our ability to respond to emerging threats. Headquarters will be consolidated, and redundant staff positions will be eliminated, creating a more agile and effective force structure. This restructuring is not about saving money for the sake of it — it is about ensuring that our soldiers receive the best possible equipment as quickly as possible. The Global War on Terror offers a cautionary tale of what happens when we fail to adapt. Insurgents routinely destroyed million-dollar vehicles with $20 worth of farm supplies repurposed into makeshift explosives. Today, our adversaries are using drones that cost a few thousand dollars to take out armored vehicles and radar systems worth millions. The lesson is clear: relying on expensive, exquisite systems to counter low-cost threats is a losing strategy. The Army Transformation Initiative seeks to avoid repeating that mistake by investing in capabilities that deliver maximum impact for minimum cost. In the 1980s, the U.S. achieved strategic dominance by mass-producing inexpensive Stinger missiles and sending them to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Those missiles took down Soviet aircraft worth millions, effectively bankrupting our adversary. We bled the Soviet military dry by forcing them to spend millions to counter weapons we built for thousands. Winning the economics of war means driving adversaries into insolvency before a shot is even fired. It means building weapons that scale faster, strike harder and cost less than the threats they neutralize. Today, that principle remains the same. We must prioritize systems that are lethal, cost-effective and capable of countering threats from low-cost drones to AI-driven cyberattacks. The stakes could not be higher. A soldier whose vehicle is struck by a $100 explosive drone that should have been detected and neutralized will not care about the billions of dollars spent on legacy programs that failed to keep him safe. A pilot downed by an enemy with electronic warfare capabilities that we refused to upgrade against will not find solace in the fact that we saved money by keeping outdated aircraft in the fleet. The cost of inaction is measured not in dollars, but in lives. The American people should care about this transformation because it is not just about defense budgets or military contracts — it is about protecting the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend this great nation. The Army Transformation Initiative is a commitment to getting our soldiers what they need to fight and win in the battles of tomorrow, not the wars of the past. The objective is clear: invest in capabilities that matter, eliminate the ones that do not, and ensure that every American soldier is equipped to fight, win, and come home safe. Pat Harrigan represents North Carolina's 10th District and serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He is a West Point graduate, former Army Green Beret, and combat veteran who led Special Forces missions in Afghanistan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
a day ago
- Business
- The Hill
We must invest in the army we need, not the one we have
For decades, America's Army has been trapped in a cycle of spending billions of taxpayer dollars on outdated systems before they even reach the battlefield. While our soldiers stand ready to defend this country, they are often equipped with technology that belongs in a museum. The Army Transformation Initiative aims to break this cycle, ensuring that every dollar we spend protects the men and women who wear the uniform. China and Russia have refined the art of leveraging inexpensive, disposable drones and AI-enabled weapons to overwhelm their adversaries. In Ukraine, small, cheap drones have decimated million-dollar vehicles and equipment. Homemade explosives costing just a few hundred dollars have rendered sophisticated armored convoys useless. Ukraine's military, with far fewer resources and no navy of its own, crippled and drove away Russia's Black Sea fleet. All it took were drones that cost less than a single American missile. Our adversaries are learning from these tactics and rapidly adapting their strategies to field low-cost, high-impact systems. The U.S. cannot afford to remain tethered to outdated systems and procurement processes that waste taxpayer dollars and put American lives at risk. Last year, China spent $29.4 billion on drones. Ukraine, despite its wartime conditions, managed to produce four million units. The U.S., in contrast, manufactured only 50,000 drones. While our adversaries invest in cheap, rapidly deployable systems, we continue to spend millions on legacy aircraft and vehicles that cannot survive on today's battlefield. The Army Transformation Initiative is a necessary course correction. Under this initiative, the Army will cease the procurement of outdated aircraft, vehicles and weapon systems that no longer meet the demands of modern warfare. The focus will shift toward expanding the arsenal of long-range drones, AI-enabled surveillance systems, and counter-drone technology capable of neutralizing threats before they strike. This transformation extends beyond equipment. The Army is streamlining its command structure to reduce unnecessary layers of bureaucracy that slow our ability to respond to emerging threats. Headquarters will be consolidated, and redundant staff positions will be eliminated, creating a more agile and effective force structure. This restructuring is not about saving money for the sake of it — it is about ensuring that our soldiers receive the best possible equipment as quickly as possible. The Global War on Terror offers a cautionary tale of what happens when we fail to adapt. Insurgents routinely destroyed million-dollar vehicles with $20 worth of farm supplies repurposed into makeshift explosives. Today, our adversaries are using drones that cost a few thousand dollars to take out armored vehicles and radar systems worth millions. The lesson is clear: relying on expensive, exquisite systems to counter low-cost threats is a losing strategy. The Army Transformation Initiative seeks to avoid repeating that mistake by investing in capabilities that deliver maximum impact for minimum cost. In the 1980s, the U.S. achieved strategic dominance by mass-producing inexpensive Stinger missiles and sending them to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Those missiles took down Soviet aircraft worth millions, effectively bankrupting our adversary. We bled the Soviet military dry by forcing them to spend millions to counter weapons we built for thousands. Winning the economics of war means driving adversaries into insolvency before a shot is even fired. It means building weapons that scale faster, strike harder and cost less than the threats they neutralize. Today, that principle remains the same. We must prioritize systems that are lethal, cost-effective and capable of countering threats from low-cost drones to AI-driven cyberattacks. The stakes could not be higher. A soldier whose vehicle is struck by a $100 explosive drone that should have been detected and neutralized will not care about the billions of dollars spent on legacy programs that failed to keep him safe. A pilot downed by an enemy with electronic warfare capabilities that we refused to upgrade against will not find solace in the fact that we saved money by keeping outdated aircraft in the fleet. The cost of inaction is measured not in dollars, but in lives. The American people should care about this transformation because it is not just about defense budgets or military contracts — it is about protecting the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend this great nation. The Army Transformation Initiative is a commitment to getting our soldiers what they need to fight and win in the battles of tomorrow, not the wars of the past. The objective is clear: invest in capabilities that matter, eliminate the ones that do not, and ensure that every American soldier is equipped to fight, win, and come home safe. Pat Harrigan represents North Carolina's 10th District and serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He is a West Point graduate, former Army Green Beret, and combat veteran who led Special Forces missions in Afghanistan.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Personnel specifics, details of Fort Eustis' TRADOC merger to be decided in summer
The Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters, along with the Center for Initial Military Training, at Fort Eustis are both up for a potential relocation as part of a merger with the Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas. However, Army officials said Thursday they will have to wait until June 15 to receive orders from the Army on how that merger will occur before the new command is formed in October. The two branches of Fort Eustis under the proposed merger include nearly 1,000 people, roughly 650 are civilians and the rest are military positions, said Army spokesperson Col. Jennifer Walkawicz in a Thursday press briefing. According to Walkawicz, Fort Eustis expects to see a smaller military footprint at the base under the merger, but civilian professionals will still see plenty of job opportunities. Navy wants to test drinking water for synthetic chemicals near Chesapeake's Northwest Annex Hegseth orders new review of Afghanistan withdrawal and suicide bombing at Kabul airport Racist memes shared by Virginia Beach-based Navy SEALs prompt investigation, disciplinary actions No personnel relocation decisions yet for Fort Eustis' Army training headquarters move A veterans' reunion sits at the center of an online storm in Norfolk As part of that smaller military footprint, Fort Eustis Commanding Gen. Gary Brito, who was originally planned to change command and retire this summer, will remain in his position through the fall when he will turn command over to the incoming commanding general for the new Army Transformation and Training Command, Walkawicz said. No matter how the merger eventually shakes out, Walkawicz said the Army will still have a strong presence at Fort Eustis. 'TRADOC remains deeply committed to the Hampton Roads community,' Walkawicz said. 'Our history here is strong. Our ties to this region are invaluable.' Walkawicz added until they receive orders, TRADOC doesn't know how big its new footprint will be in Austin, Texas, nor how it will fit into the other merging commands as part of the larger Army Transformation Initiative. 'In my career, my 30 years serving, this is the most significant transformation effort that I have seen,' Walkawicz said. Devlin Epding, 757-510-4037,
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘One of the biggest generational changes': Army Secretary explains Redstone Arsenal's role in new initiative
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (WHNT) — Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll visited Redstone Arsenal for the first time Monday. After a tour, the secretary told reporters he wants the nation's war fighter to be more efficient, and he believes Redstone will play a role in that process. Longtime Decatur city councilman announces run for mayor Under the direction of the Department of Defense, Driscoll is implementing the Army Transformation Initiative. The program, like others created under the Trump administration, prioritizes cutting programs and positions deemed 'obsolete,' while bringing in the private sector to 'innovate.' 'We do not do a good job with our requirements and our funding, and we know that,' Driscoll said. 'We are trying to get better.' Driscoll said improvement will come from more communication with other agencies, like the partnerships that exist on the Arsenal between the Army, FBI and ATF. He told News 19 that a push for fast solutions could also mean opportunities for new defense contractors. 'Small and medium businesses around the country are going to be able to create things for the United States Army, and if it is the best, we're going to put it on to our new platforms going forward,' Driscoll said. 'Things like open AI and these other big tech companies that are in the news every single day, we are not quite ready at scale to be a customer of theirs, but we think in the next six to 12 months, we will be in that because a lot of the work that's happening down here.' Authorities on scene of 'weather-related' fire at old LaGrange Elementary School The secretary said he wants to take the best practices from the commercial sector, particularly in areas like transportation and logistics. 'We just don't do things all that quickly,' Driscoll said. 'If you look at modern warfare with what's going on in Ukraine with drones and cyber and just this data layer that's being overlaid on to warfare, we knew that we needed to be able to move faster.' On Monday, Driscoll said he met with the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) on the Arsenal, which is responsible for making sure critical combat materials are delivered quickly. 'I'm even more optimistic after learning about it,' Driscoll said. 'I think a lot of the things that they're touching today will start to hit the war fighter in six to 12 months.' During his visit, Driscoll said Redstone Arsenal has talent and resources that could lead to growth in the area down the line. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
