Big changes in force structure, weaponry, platforms and acquisition are coming to the Army “to build a leaner and more lethal force,” according to a DoD memorandum.

In an April 30 memorandum addressed to senior Pentagon leadership, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directs Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to “implement a comprehensive transformation strategy” to include streamlining force structure, eliminating “wasteful” spending, reforming acquisition, modernizing “inefficient” defense contracts and overcoming “parochial interests to rebuild our Army, restore the warrior ethos and reestablish deterrence.”

The Army Transformation Initiative will “reexamine all requirements and eliminate unnecessary ones, ruthlessly prioritize fighting formations to directly contribute to lethality, and empower leaders at echelon to make hard calls to ensure resources align with strategic objectives,” Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George wrote in a May 1 message to the force.

Under the transformation plan, merit and needed skills for “today’s battlefield” will be prioritized during workforce reductions, revisions to civilian hiring practices and reductions in general officer positions to “streamline command structures for the warfighter,” according to the DoD memo.

Army Futures Command and Army Training and Doctrine Command will merge into one command, and Army Forces Command will merge with U.S. Army South and U.S. Army North into a single headquarters “focused on homeland defense and partnership with Western Hemisphere allies,” according to the memo.

The sustainment enterprise also will be restructured, with the consolidation and realignment of headquarters and units within Army Materiel Command. This includes integration of the Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, consolidation of operations across select depots, arsenals and installations, and leveraging “leasing opportunities with commercial entities seeking to expand into the Defense Industrial Base,” the memo says.

“Our focus is on filling combat formations with Soldiers,” Driscoll and George wrote in their message. “Every role must sharpen the spear or be cut away.”

This includes eliminating 1,000 staff positions at Army headquarters, the message says.

In terms of force structure, the Army will restructure Army Aviation by reducing one aerial cavalry squadron per combat aviation brigade in the Regular Army, and “we will consolidate aviation sustainment requirements and increase operational readiness,” Driscoll and George’s message says. The Army also will convert all infantry brigade combat teams to mobile brigade combat teams to “improve mobility and lethality in a leaner formation. We are trading weight for speed, and mass for decisive force,” the message says.

The DoD memo also directs the Army to achieve, by 2027, long-range missiles capable of striking moving land and maritime targets, electromagnetic and air-littoral dominance and artificial intelligence-driven command and control at theater, corps and division headquarters.

The Army also is directed to improve counter-unmanned aerial systems mobility and affordability and integrate those capabilities into maneuver platoons by 2026 and companies by 2027.

Acquisition reform will address changes to program funding practices, intellectual property constraints, prototyping and fielding agreements, performance-based contracting and the expansion of multi-year agreements.

“We will also continue to cancel programs that deliver dated, late-to-need, overpriced, or difficult-to-maintain capabilities,” Driscoll and George’s message says. “Yesterday's weapons will not win tomorrow's wars.”

They added, “This is a first step. We have already directed a second round of transformation efforts to be delivered in the coming months.”

Driscoll and George called on Army leaders to help. “Leaders, we need you to drive change to ensure we stay lethal, ready, and continue to build cohesive teams that take care of our Soldiers and families,” their message says. “Our Army must transform now to a leaner, more lethal force by infusing technology, cutting obsolete systems, and reducing overhead to defeat any adversary on an ever-changing battlefield.”

Read the DoD memo here.

The Army leaders’ message is here.