The Army's plan to abandon obsolete systems and modernize

Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb sums up how war has changed

They used 117 drones worth as little as $300 apiece to destroy approximately a third, or about $7 billion

worth of Russia's cruise missile carriers. Well aware of this evolution, the Army is launching a transformation initiative to stay ahead

In a letter to its leaders, the Army's secretary and its top general wrote

battlefields across the world are changing at a rapid pace. autonomous systems are becoming more lethal and less expensive

Sensors and decoys are everywhere. Dual-use technologies are continuously evolving and outpacing our processes to defeat them

To maintain our reg on the battlefield, our Army will transform to a leaner, more lethal force

by adapting how we fight, train, organize, and buy equipment. On its face, that statement is simple and logical

The Army has to keep up with the times. But when you factor in what that means for personnel and equipment, it's a lot more complicated

In an effort to eliminate waste and obsolete programs, Army leaders announced they'll cancel orders for the Apache helicopter, Humvees, and the Gray Eagle drone

The Army heads wrote, We will also continue to cancel programs that deliver dated, late-to-need, overpriced, or difficult-to-maintain capabilities

Yesterday's weapons will not win tomorrow's wars. That means the factories that build these weapons could be shut down, and the battalions that operate them could be gone too

That could have a big impact on a local county's economy. Twenty representatives wrote a letter stating they want the Humvee to receive greater investment

The letter was led by Congressman Rudy Yakim who represents Mishawaka Indiana where Humvees are built Quote The Department of Defense relies on the U light tactical vehicle manufacturer A General which employs more than 1 people

at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Additionally, A.M. General has a strong supplier base

that stretches across 43 states. How difficult is it, if they get rid of the Gray Eagle or the Humvee

or something else, to build something else in that district? Is that a reasonable possibility

Sometimes it is because you've got the manufacturing plants there and facilities

But in the end, you've got to have an eye on your district. I get that. But ultimately, it's what's right for our country. That should be the guiding light

As for personnel, the 1st Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, based in Conroe, Texas, is being decommissioned

Representative Morgan Littrell's reaction shows how difficult it is to lose a staple of a county or district that's been there for years

And you've come into my house, where I was born and raised in this county. and you're taking something away from me, and I want to know why

I'm curious why you wouldn't try to modernize that unit instead of decommissioning it. I think when you're overstructured on a specific asset and you're under-investing in others

you have to make decisions on that. What we have committed ourselves to is that we're not going to keep equipment that we don't need

systems that we don't need. The Army wants to make many of these transformational changes soon

Pentagon leaders want to increase 3D printing and other manufacturing capabilities by next year

field long-range missiles capable of striking moving land and maritime targets by 2027

and achieve what's called air littoral dominance by 2027. In other words, dominate the air just above the ground where drones fly

I'm Ray Bogan for Straight Arrow News. For more reporting, download the SAN app