{"id":39222,"date":"2018-03-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/26\/us-armys-futures-command-sets-groundwork-for-battlefield-transformation\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:08:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:08:26","slug":"us-armys-futures-command-sets-groundwork-for-battlefield-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/global-force-symposium\/2018\/03\/26\/us-armys-futures-command-sets-groundwork-for-battlefield-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"US Army\u2019s Futures Command sets groundwork for battlefield transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In his keynote address to the AUSA Global Force Symposium, Army Secretary Mark Esper explains why the service considers modernization to be so important.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 It\u2019s the beginning of a new era in Army acquisition<\/a> in which soldiers might not have to wait 10 years or longer to see a new weapon or capability in the field, but instead could get modern, new systems in their hands within just a few short years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s at least what service leaders tasked to come up with new road maps for the Army\u2019s top modernization priorities<\/a> are thinking is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The newly vigorous pace is fueled by the frustration created by years of painful acquisition blunders, sluggish bureaucratic processes and wasted dollars, all on top of the fact that near-peer adversaries like Russia haven\u2019t waited to develop weapons systems that would create serious dilemmas for the U.S. Army and its Middle East-tuned equipment if it had to face off in a conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army\u2019s new Futures Command<\/a> \u2014 designed to keep the service laser-focused on six major modernization priorities \u2014 hasn\u2019t been officially established yet, but the leadership in charge of those priorities see for many cases creative ways to get capability into the hands of soldiers in the field in just a couple of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army established what it is calling cross-functional teams \u2014 or CFT \u2014 to address the following priorities: Long-Range Precision Fires, Next-Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, the network, air and missile defense, and soldier lethality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are eight CFTs \u2014 six to address each priority, one that is addressing the Army\u2019s Synthetic Training Environment, and one for positioning, navigation and timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gone are the days of waiting for a perfect solution to get through years of testing before anything is actually put into an operational environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, through the CFTs, all the players in the acquisition process from the requirements community to the sustainment community are at the table, at the same time, to determine what is feasible and when.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And actual system operators, even at the earliest prototyping and design stages, will be able to experiment with capabilities in realistic environments, allowing for feedback along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-Range Precision Fires<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Army will demonstrate LRPF technology from a precision-strike missile to hypersonics and ramjet capabilities within the next couple of years, the service\u2019s LRPF CFT lead, Brig. Gen. Stephen Maranian, told Defense News in a March 19 interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Army’s new Long-Range Precision Fires modernization effort is looking at how to increase the range of cannon artillery among a variety of other efforts. (Photo by Spc. Gabrielle Weaver\/U.S. Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The service is looking at how it will evolve its current M109A7 self-propelled howitzer \u2014 or Paladin Integrated Management \u2014 into extended-range cannon artillery by getting a better projectile and a longer barrel. According to Maranian, the projectile \u2014 the XM1113 \u2014 could be fielded to soldiers in approximately two-and-a-half years. More capability will be spiraled in later, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army will also demonstrate in fiscal 2019 two possible Army Tactical Missile System replacements from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, which will deliver a longer range. The program formerly known as LRPF is now being called the Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM. Maranian said the Army is looking for ways to get PrSM to the initial operational capability stage as early as late 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And technology such as hypersonics and the ramjet could be demonstrated as early as FY19, Maranian said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next-Generation Combat Vehicle<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first stab at building prototypes for what the U.S. Army intends to be an innovative, leap-ahead NGCV<\/a> and its robotic wingman will be ready for soldier evaluations in FY20, according to Brig. Gen. David Lesperance, the NGCV CFT lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subsequently, the Army will rapidly produce follow-on prototypes in FY22 and again in FY24, each taking lessons learned from the previous prototypes and refining capabilities. Soldiers will have the chance to heavily evaluate the prototypes at every stage, Lesperance said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the effort, the Army has kicked off a major prototyping effort to develop the NGCV by awarding an SAIC-led industry team a contract to build two demonstrators by FY22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiscal 2019 documents show the timeline has been accelerated and that prototypes could be finished as early as 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\t