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As leaders warn that the Army is expanding its use of artificial intelligence beyond drones – from wearable smart glasses at training sites to automatic defense against numerous cheap enemy aircraft – leaders warn that anti-number battles are now “problem 1A” for the nation.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll spoke to reporters this week to describe a pilot programAI-enabled ray glass cup That record maintenance work and then uses a generative model to navigate the troops with less experience through the maintenance of the infantry team. He said this reflects a new impetus for bringing consumer technology into the troops “much faster.” Although Yuan may have spent billions of dollars on glasses, army They are being tested for $400 per pair.
The same approach applies to the Pentagon’s highest emerging challenge: defense drones, said General Randy George, Chief of Staff.
“This is a problem we face as a country 1a,” Driscoll said, stressing that anti-drone technology must be cheap, fast and automated. “If you think of drone swarms…it’s almost an impossible idea for humans [to handle]. ”
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Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said anti-drone technology is “problem 1A”. (SPC. LukeSullivan/75th Ranger Group)
This challenge is emphasized overseas where advanced aircraft have been used to intercept relative Cheap drone. “If you have a $5,000 drone, you want a $2,000 or a $3,000 or a $4,000 Interceptor, that’s the point,” George said.
Last week, the Dutch F-35 and Polish F-16 deployed dozens of Russian drones to Russian territory.
George added that the Army is testing near-round and high-energy lasers, while larger obstacles defend the drone in crowded civilian airspace.
As part of the Army’s “Continuous Transformation” initiative, George said 25 brigades will be overhauled over the next two years to make them more deadly, mobile and surviving in high-threat environments. The combat team of the first Armored Brigade will spin at the California National Training Center in November, followed by a massive drill in Hawaii.
George also pointed to the modernization of armor, saying the army’s next-generation M1E3 tanks (conceived as lighter and faster replacement of Abrams) could arrive at units as early as next year. This will mark a major acceleration, as earlier predictions suggest that vehicles will not be able to proceed until the 2030s.
Driscoll said that in order to pay for the driver of modernization, the Army plans to cut $48 billion for five years from plans that are no longer needed, reinvesting drones, air defense and long-range fires.
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A soldier held a drone in the Pentagon parking lot in Arlington, Virginia on June 14, 2025 during the Army’s 250th anniversary parade and celebrations in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
The service also launched a $750 million “fuse” fund to support small and medium-sized businesses and previews the new acquisition reforms detailed at the AUSA meeting next month. These changes are partly based on the rapid iteration practices of commercial companies, and will jointly set up soldiers, engineers and contractors to speed up design and the field.
Officials also highlighted internal efforts. George said the Army is now building its own drones in warehouses, including U.S. parts (including models) that have already flown in Ukraine to help replenish stocks. Driscoll said 3D printing is being tested to overcome the “distance tyranny” in the Indo-Pacific, allowing soldiers to make parts in theaters instead of waiting for long supply lines.
Army soldiers train on site when the service integrates AI into training and command and control. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
George pointed out that Battlefield Command is another area of change. The Fourth Infantry Division is now testing command and control applications on reinforced tablets to replace trucks and racks that have long anchored the Army command post.
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The move is designed to make it increasingly difficult for headquarters to target, although outside experts warn that relying on commercial-style equipment can introduce new issues of cyber vulnerability and durability in combat.
Driscoll also praised President Trump for supporting the Army’s overhaul. “They’re always going to the boundaries when we make tough decisions,” he said. Still, he acknowledged that every one of the cuts that cut $48 billion has defenders of Congress and industry.
