U.S. Army Secretary Christine Warmouth said this week that the Army is undergoing its “most profound change” in 40 years as the military service branch “fundamentally” transforms its weapons systems.
Speaking on July 18 at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Warmouth explained that the Army is investing billions of dollars into new weapons technology including unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare systems, and a long-range hypersonic weapon.
“We are also really looking at predictive analytics for our logistics, making sure that we can understand in advance as much as possible what we need and where we need it,” said Warmouth. “We’re doing some amazing things with predictive logistics to support the Ukrainians, but many of the things that we’re doing there can be transferred to other theaters around the world.”
In addition to weapon technology and systems, Warmouth said the Army has also been exploring micro-nuclear reactors domestically. Microreactors are 100 to 1,000 times smaller than standard nuclear reactors and operate independently from other electric grids.
“That’s going to increase our resilience, that’s going to allow us to provide our own power if something happens to the electric grid,” said Warmouth.
Warmouth also said the Army is spending “over a billion dollars a year” to modernize arsenals, ammo plants and depots, including a new munitions plant in Mesquite, Texas, that utilizes advanced manufacturing technologies to “not only increase production capacity but the speed.”
She also talked about Army’s investments in automation including in robotics technologies.
“We’re also investing in autonomous platforms like robotics so that we can provide some of that sustainment using robots and taking the pressure off of our soldiers to allow them to do other things,” said Warmouth.
Warmouth also emphasized that the Army is interested in new technology and taking “advantage of startups” as their products and services become available.
