WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain on Tuesday hailed the Army’s new modernization plans as “the kind of bold steps that will be necessary to fix a broken system.”
Army officials announced the service will stand up a new command focused on modernization, with teams aligned with six modernization priorities: Long-Range Precision Fires, next-generation combat vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, the network, air-and-missile defense and soldier lethality.
McCain noted that the plans build on Congressionally enacted acquisition reforms.
He also called out the Army’s poor track record on modernization.
“The Senate Armed Services Committee will continue to conduct oversight of acquisition and modernization programs, particularly in light of the Army’s troubled history of costly failures,” he said.
“We must ensure that our soldiers are receiving the equipment and capabilities they need to address current and emerging threats—especially as our near-peer competitors invest heavily in modernization specifically targeted to erode our technological edge—and those resources must be delivered on time, at cost, and up to expectations,” he said.
