REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo made his first visit in his new role to Redstone Arsenal March 31 to April 1 to learn more about the installation’s mission, organizations and global impact, and its support to the Army’s people, readiness and modernization priorities.
Camarillo, who was sworn in as the 35th Under Secretary of the Army in February, is very familiar with the logistics and sustainment enterprise. Having previously served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, he helped lead and supervise Army modernization programs, procurement, logistics and research and development investment.
During his visit to Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville, Camarillo met with leaders from Army Materiel Command, the Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team, the Program Executive Office for Army Aviation, and the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. He learned about the installation’s support mission and its $18 billion total economic impact on the Tennessee Valley.
“I had a productive visit and first-hand opportunity to learn more about our modernization efforts in Future Vertical Lift and Long Range Precision Fires. Development of these cutting edge systems will provide Soldiers with next-generation capabilities needed against current and future threats. I also had a chance to learn more about the Army Material Command’s wide range of missions, to include managing Army installations, Army contracting and security assistance to our allies and partners," said Camarillo.
Redstone Arsenal is known as a Federal Center of Excellence, with more than 44,000 employees and 70 tenant organizations from across the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice and NASA. The installation supports the nation across its four mission sets of logistics services; space operations and missile defense; intelligence and homeland defense; and research, development, test and evaluation.
“These four areas are really foundational to what we are trying to do, not only as an Army, but across the Department of Defense,” explained Gen. Ed Daly, commanding general of AMC. “It is more important than ever for us to be engaged with the local community, and I think we have a great relationship here locally.”
Camarillo said he refers to Redstone Arsenal as a “center of gravity” for the Army.
“I am really impressed with all the work you are doing here,” he said. “It is absolutely vital to Army modernization and readiness.”
Daly, staff and subordinate commanders briefed Camarillo on AMC’s mission, organization and contributions in support of Army priorities. Daly noted how AMC’s mission has evolved over the past few years with the addition of new commands and capabilities, including U.S. Army Financial Management Command, U.S. Army Medical Logistics Command and U.S. Army Installation Management Command.
“I think you are really starting to see the synergy and value of having IMCOM under AMC, not just from a Facility Investment Plan perspective, but really from a standpoint of the ability to project the force,” Daly said.
Camarillo said it was striking to him just how much AMC’s mission had changed since his last visit.
“It is really impressive how AMC has integrated new elements into what the command does,” he said.
Other topics discussed included the recruiting, training and retention of a high-quality and diverse workforce, modernization of the Army’s Organic Industrial Base, contracting support and foreign military sales.
Daly and AMC Chief Analytics Officer Dr. Chris Hill also highlighted AMC’s increased use of data analytics and visualizations to support senior leader decisions, increase efficiency and maximize investments aligned with Army priorities.
“It is a combination of the metrics and assessment, both art and science, that really ensures we are getting to the right effects to support the Army mission,” explained Daly.
Camarillo said AMC has been very forward leaning in data analytics to track enterprise level metrics, mission objectives and support Army readiness.
While visiting the FVL-CFT, Camarillo learned about program updates to the FVL ecosystem and lines of effort, including Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft and Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, and the cost savings built into the programs using a Modular Open Systems Approach.
“We’re developing transformational capabilities with FARA and FLRAA and critical elements of the FVL ecosystem to continue Army Aviation’s asymmetric advantage over near peer adversaries in multi domain operations,” said Maj. Gen. Walter “Wally” Rugen, FVL-CFT director. “With the use of digital engineering and implementation of MOSA in our clean sheet designs, we have an opportunity to significantly reduce the operating and support lifecycle costs of FVL platforms.”
Rugen also briefed Camarillo on the upcoming Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event 2022 in Dugway, Utah, later this spring. EDGE22 is an opportunity to assess new tactics, technologies, and interconnecting architectures. It includes progressive efforts connecting Joint All Domain Command and Control to the lower tier of the air domain by extending the reach and lethality of FARA ecosystem to accelerate combined kill chains in all-domain operations. This year’s demonstration includes more than 16 Army organizations and units, 12 industry partners and seven partner nations.
“It’s exciting to see the progress being made in the development of the FVL ecosystem with our joint, and this year international, partners across the modernization enterprise experimenting and demonstrating lethal capabilities in the lower tier air domain at our nation’s western test ranges,” Rugen said.
Following Camarillo’s visit at Redstone, he joined the RCCTO, touring three industry partners’ facilities, Dynetics, Kord and Lockheed Martin. The RCCTO is responsible for prototyping a land-based Long Range Hypersonic Weapon by fiscal year 2023. It is also developing a ground-launched, prototype Mid-Range Capability for delivery to an operational battery by fiscal year 2023. In fiscal year 2022, the Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, a 50 kilowatt-class High Energy Laser weapon system, will be fielded to a Stryker platoon.
“I was impressed by the progress demonstrated by RCCTO and our industry partners in rapidly developing prototype weapon systems,” said Camarillo. “Our government and industry teams have been effective in their use of rapid prototyping authorities to develop prototypes in a span of months that typically take years using traditional approaches.”
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