US Army’s greatest transformation in the last 4 decades, Army Chief of Staff says
The United States Army is in the middle of the most remarkable transformation in the last 40 years, as the service continues to advance initiatives to support personnel under the Army People Strategy, all while maintaining critical modernization priorities to bolster joint multi-domain operations. According to the US Army.
The US Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said, in the next few weeks, an update will be released to expand on the Army’s multi-domain operations in the 2028 pamphlet, published back in 2018.
The new pamphlet will explain how the US Army plans to enhance capabilities across all domains including land, air, maritime, space, and cyberspace – to achieve an overmatch against a near-peer competitor like China or Russia. He said during the Association of the US Army’s Global Force Next virtual conference.
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Gen. McConville said, “overmatch will belong to the side that can make better decisions faster.” He added, “To meet emerging challenges, the Army is boldly transforming to provide the joint force with speed, range, and convergence [with] cutting edge technologies that will be needed to provide decision dominance.”
General said the Army is ready to deliver a series of long-range precision fires by the fiscal year 2023. It includes a first hypersonic weapon, precision strike missile systems, and a prototype mid-range missile capability.
These advancements in weapon systems will provide the joint warfighter land-based weapon systems capable of penetrating an adversary’s anti-access / area-denial environment at strategic ranges.
McConville also discussed the need for additional multi-domain task forces, one in Europe and two in the Indo-Pacific region. Each multi-domain task force provides information operations, intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, and space effects with an equipped LRPF (Long Range Precision Fires) capability.
“The Army will provide multiple options to the combatant commanders, (and provide) multiple dilemmas to our adversaries,” General said.
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According to Chief, “many of our competitors are focused on the Arctic, (while) our allies and partners have concerns. I think working together is very important. We need to protect our interests.”
People first strategy:
“I could not be prouder of our people. If anything, the challenges of this past year made it clear that we have our priorities right – take care of people first, remain ready, and modernize the army,” he said.
He also describes that the ready force also requires the Army to put a system into place to prevent sexual harassment / assault, extremism, and discrimination.
” When our people feel safe and when they feel valued they will give you their best,” he further added. “Cohesive teams that are highly trained, disciplined, and fit are the most effective forces in combat.”
Strategy implementation:
He also stressed that the Army should recruit the people with the best talent and knowledge base to get them into the right place at the right time.
The senior leaders must also finalize the Regionally Aligned Readiness and modernization model. Units will be aligned under the new model to meet current joint force demand, all while providing soldiers and families a predictable and sustainable cycle of training, modernization, and mission windows.
He also said that the great power competition does not have to mean that they should go to war but they must have to coexist with peace.
“Great power competition does not have to mean great power conflict. Quite frankly, it can’t mean great power conflict,” he further described. “What we want is great power coexistence. That’s why we need peace through strength and a whole of government approach that includes a strong military and strong allies and partners.”
Analysis:
Today the world powers are focusing on developing integrated forces that will be able to move quickly, take the right decisions at the right time and perform their missions efficiently and effectively.
The US Army is also taking steps to modernize its military on future combat requirements. This will help them to match their adversaries through quality but not quantity.