ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The Army continues to build readiness across the total force—from the individual soldier to its brigade combat teams, the service’s top enlisted leader said.

“The Army has more units ready than at any time in recent history,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey told the Senate Armed Services Committee’s personnel subcommittee.

Because of funding support from Congress, the Army had 28 brigade combat teams at their highest state of readiness at the end of 2018, compared to 19 BCTs the year before, he added.

The Army is creating a new research institute solely focused on small-unit performance.

The Soldier Squad Performance Research Institute to be built at the Natick Soldier Systems Center, Mass., will be known as S2PRINT, and is part of a larger Army effort focused on the tools and training required to improve the fighting power of small units. It is expected to open in 2023.

Figuring out how to make autonomous unmanned aircraft systems increasingly available to small platoon- and squad-level tactical units could provide useful and potentially decisive combat advantages, according to a recent report.