Army Secretary Fischer Questions Tech Rollout and Modernization with Gen. George

Army Transformation and Technology Integration

• 💡 The Army's transformation initiative builds upon previous efforts, emphasizing the integration of soldier feedback into the acquisition process to deliver more intuitive capabilities faster.
• 🚀 The approach mirrors successful business practices, focusing on a minimum viable product concept to rapidly prototype and test new technologies with end-users.
• ⚡ An example highlighted is the rapid automation of Army vehicles (Humvee and ISV) using software from an autonomous vehicle company, with soldiers providing feedback within weeks.

Network and Command & Control

• 🌐 The network is considered foundational to all Army operations, enabling rapid data transfer for sensing, deciding, and acting.
• 🛠️ Efforts are underway to integrate and modernize command and control systems, working with private industry to ensure these systems are smaller and more mobile.

Modernization and Fielding Capabilities

• 🎯 The Army anticipates fielding long-range hypersonic weapons by the end of fiscal year 2025, with a new, lower-cost version also under development.
• 🇵🇭 The mid-range capability system has been deployed in the Philippines, with ongoing work to make these systems smaller, better integrated, and more mobile.
• 💬 Continuous feedback loops with both industry partners and soldiers are crucial for iterating on new capabilities, including making changes to autonomous or optionally manned vehicles and command and control components.

Soldier Feedback and Continuous Improvement

• 👂 Developers are working directly with soldiers in various environments to observe real-time performance, such as battery life in different climates, and to adapt training for EW environments and FPV operators.
• ✅ The Army is committed to continuous transformation, incorporating lessons learned from testing and soldier input to adapt formations and operational strategies.