Army Futures Command

Provided by Army Futures Command Task Force

What is it?

Establishment of the Army Futures Command is the most significant Army reorganization effort since 1973. Army Futures Command will be the fourth Army Command and will be tasked with driving the Army into the future to achieve clear overmatch in future conflicts. The Army Commands (ACOMs):

• Army Forces Command: Force provider of the Army- trains, prepares a combat ready, globally responsive Total Army Force of U.S. Army Soldiers to build and sustain Army readiness to meet Combatant Command requirements.
• Army Training and Doctrine Command: Architect of the Army- recruits, trains designs, acquires, and builds the Army.
• Army Materiel Command: Sustains the Army- provides materiel readiness by equipping and sustaining the force.

Army Futures Command: Modernizes the Army for the future- will integrate the future operational environment, threat, and technologies to develop and deliver future force requirements, designing future force organizations, and delivering materiel capabilities

Characteristics

• Custodian of Army modernization efforts; linking operational concepts to requirements to acquisition to fielding.
• Bring concepts and requirements definitions together with engineering and acquisitions functions into one team.
• Small agile headquarters focused on flexibility, collaboration, and speed. Focus of faster innovation, experimentation, and demonstration.
• Enable rapid prototyping – failing early and cheaply, and then increase learning with increased operational inputs

Structure

• Each Army Futures Command subordinate organization currently exists as an organization within TRADOC, AMC, ASA (ALT) or Army Test and Evaluation Command.
• Army Futures Command’s subordinate organization will remain at their current locations but will be realigned to ensure all Army major commands remain closely linked.
• Cross Functional Teams (CFTs) will report to the Army Futures Command. Program Managers will remain under the control of ASA (ALT) but teamed with the CFTs.
• Command group headquarters will be located near innovative and agile industrial and academic institutions to align with these organizations and in a place where the command will inculcate the culture needed to develop the innovation and synergy required to lead the Army’s modernization effort.

Organization

Army Futures Command will have three subordinate organizations:

• Futures and Concepts will identify and prioritize capability development needs and opportunities.
• Combat Development will conceptualize and develop solutions for identified needs and opportunities.
• Combat Systems will refine, engineer, and produce developed solutions.

All acquisition authority is derived from Army Acquisition Executive (AAE), to whom the Program Mangers report. Futures Command is responsible for requirements and supports the Program Managers. Program managers remain under the control of ASA (ALT) but matrixed against the CFTs.

What is the Army doing/ has done?

WAYS: The Army’s modernization strategy has one focus: make Soldiers and units more lethal to win the nation’s wars, then come home safely.

MEANS: The modernization process will leverage commercial innovation, cutting-edge science and technology, prototyping and warfighter feedback.

ENDS: Unity of command and unity of effort for the Army’s modernization effort ensures accountability, transparency and responsible stewardship of the nation’s resources.

In support of the overall strategy, Army Futures Command will synchronize efforts among the ACOMs and across the cross functional teams to advance the Army’s six modernization priorities:

• Long-Range Precision Fires
• Next Generation Combat Vehicle
• Future Vertical Lift
• Army Network
• Air and Missile Defense
• Soldier Lethality

Related STAND-TO!:

• Army Modernization
• Modernizing For Greater Lethality
• CFTS:
• Long-Range Precision Fires
• Future Vertical Lift
• Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing
• Next Generation Combat Vehicles
• Army Network
• Air and Missile Defense Capabilities
• Soldier Lethality
• Synthetic Training Environment

Related documents:

• Statement by the Secretary of the Army Dr. Mark T. Esper before Senate Armed Services Committee, Dec. 7, 2017
• Army Directive 2017-24: Cross Functional Team Pilot In Support of Materiel Development
• Army Directive 2017-33: Enabling the Army Modernization Task Force

Related articles:

• Vice chief testifies how Army is addressing threats through modernization, other capabilities
• New Army Futures Command success hinges on relationship building, says McCarthy
• US Army Futures Command to reform modernization, says secretary of the Army