ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The Army needs to leverage and build upon its current fleet of aircraft to lead in the air-ground littoral, a panel of aviation leaders said.

“We've got our current fleet of aircraft that are operating at a breakneck pace,” said Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, commanding general of the Army’s Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel, Alabama. “We've got to leverage that current fleet.”

The character of war is rapidly evolving, and soldiers need to keep pace, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus said.

Facing global challenges, the Army is investing in technology and its industrial base to meet production and manufacturing capacity needs, the assistant Army secretary of acquisition, logistics and technology said.

In response to the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems, the Army should aim for proximal dominance of the air-ground littoral, according to the author of a new paper published by the Association of the U.S. Army.

“Significant and urgent action” is needed to prepare the United States for the national security threats it’s facing today, said the leaders of a commission tasked by Congress.

As the Army adds new capabilities to the force, its efforts cannot stop at gear and hardware, a panel of experts said.

“It’s critical that we deliver that full capability to our force,” said Paul Reese, director of the fielded force integration directorate at the Army Combined Arms Center. This means making sure that the Army’s doctrine, organization, training, leadership and education, personnel, facilities and policy are synchronized with the new materiel, he said, referring to what’s known as DOTMLPF-P.

The National Guard and Army Reserve need increased support to modernize their equipment and manning for future conflict, the components’ top leaders testified June 18 on Capitol Hill.