The Evolution of Army Sustainment: Meeting the Challenges of the Future Battlefield
As we celebrate the 250th birthday of our Army in June 2025, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in history. The geopolitical landscape is increasingly complex, with near-peer adversaries rapidly developing advanced military capabilities. As the landscape continues to quickly evolve, the Army must transform and adapt to enable lethality for the joint force. In other words, we must continuously transform and fundamentally change the core of Army operations.
As we see in the ongoing fight in Ukraine, the increasingly dispersed nature of warfare means that convoys, support areas, and other vital nodes in the sustainment network have become increasingly vulnerable to enemy action. Force protection must incorporate advanced surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities into sustainment formations, employing unmanned ground vehicles for resupply missions in high-risk areas and developing innovative techniques to minimize the signature of logistical assets.
Army logisticians are critical enablers of continuous transformation, and we will holistically adapt our doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policies alongside our fellow warfighters. Sustainment units are becoming more agile, technologically sophisticated, collaborative, and resilient to meet the demands of modern military operations. This evolution is critical, particularly as logistics support becomes increasingly dispersed and contested. On future battlefields, rapid and reliable sustainment will mean the difference between mission success and failure, between victory and defeat.
The integration of emerging technologies and evolving operational concepts drives a fundamental shift in how we approach sustainment. Greater use of automation in warehousing, transportation, and supply distribution is essential for managing the increased volume and complexity of logistical demands. Artificial intelligence-powered planning tools will optimize routes, anticipate bottlenecks, and enhance the overall responsiveness of the sustainment enterprise. These technologies require a new breed of logistician, equipped with the skills to navigate this evolving landscape. These skills must be directly tied to enhancing operational tempo, extending operational reach, and increasing the lethality of the warfighter on the battlefield.
The strategic imperative of continuous transformation demands effective tactical implementation at the unit level. Bridging this gap is the Army’s Transformation in Contact (TiC) initiative, a focused effort designed to translate modernization efforts into tangible improvements on the battlefield.
TiC 2.0: Change Impacting the Battlefield
Continuous transformation represents the Army’s overarching, long-term commitment to adapting and modernizing its force, encompassing everything from technological advancements and doctrinal shifts to organizational restructuring. TiC, in contrast, is a focused, deliberate effort designed to operationalize aspects of this broader transformation at the tactical level. Think of continuous transformation as the strategic vision, and TiC as a project or program directly contributing to that vision. TiC ensures that modernization efforts translate into tangible improvements in our units and on the battlefield.
Building on the initial phase (TiC 1.0), which focused on infantry brigade combat teams and the development of the light support battalion concept, TiC 2.0 expands the scope and integrates new technologies to enhance agility and responsiveness. TiC 2.0 prioritizes mobile brigade combat team structures and broadens the scope to encompass armored brigade combat teams, Stryker brigade combat teams, division sustainment brigades, multidomain task forces, and U.S. Army Special Operations Command units.
TiC 2.0 further integrates cutting-edge materiel and technologies. This includes advancements in mission command systems, the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), and the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS).
The integration of UASs, like JTAARS, the integration of UASs for delivery is a prime example is a prime example of how technology reshapes sustainment. Drones are increasingly being used to deliver critical supplies to troops in the field, particularly in areas where ground transportation is difficult or dangerous. JTAARS and similar systems allow us to extend the operational reach of our forces and provide them with the supplies they need, when and where they need them.
These technological advancements will result in a more informed, connected, and responsive sustainment network capable of supporting the complexities of future operations. TiC 2.0 represents a significant step forward from TiC 1.0 in modernizing Army sustainment, ensuring the force remains ready and resilient in a rapidly evolving operational environment.
Beyond TiC 2.0: Accelerating Sustainment Transformation
The Army’s modernization journey is inextricably linked to the transformation of its sustainment enterprise. From adapting to the complexities of future warfare and cultivating a new generation of technologically proficient logisticians to embracing innovative approaches and leveraging autonomous systems, the sustainment community is at the forefront of ensuring the Army’s continued operational readiness. For our sustainment professionals, acceleration of the doctrinal, structural, and technological innovations initiated in TiC 1.0 and advanced further in TiC 2.0 represents the next step in this continuous transformation.
The Army’s modernization effort, particularly the emphasis on materiel and technological innovation, represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the sustainment community. The effectiveness of our capabilities will no longer be measured solely by the ability to deliver supplies, but rather by the capacity to adapt, innovate, and integrate seamlessly into a rapidly evolving operational landscape. Army sustainers have a unique opportunity to shape the future of the force. This requires a proactive approach, actively engaging in the experimentation process, providing feedback from the field, and working to ensure that sustainment considerations are integrated from the outset.
The sustainment community leads the way in integrating advanced technologies, enhancing agility and responsiveness, improving resiliency and survivability, and developing the skills needed to win the fight in contested battlespace. Collectively, we ensure that the sustainment enterprise serves as a critical enabler of the Army’s success in an increasingly complex and contested world. Our commitment to transforming sustainment is a commitment to ensuring the operational dominance of our warfighters on any battlefield, against any adversary.
Be all that you can be! This we’ll defend!
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LTG Heidi J. Hoyle currently serves as Headquarters, Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, and oversees policies and procedures used by Army logisticians. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, she has a Master of Science degree in systems engineering from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science degree in national resource strategy from the National Defense University. She is a graduate of the Chemical Officer Basic Course, Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy.
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This article was published in the summer 2025 issue of Army Sustainment.
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