Pentagon shifts to unmanned systems, phasing out Apache helis
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth has announced a significant transformation of the U.S. ground forces, which includes moving away from outdated systems and focusing on unmanned systems at the expense of helicopters, as reported by the Breaking Defense portal on Thursday. Older versions of Apache helicopters are to be phased out.
As Hegseth wrote in an internal memorandum published by the Breaking Defense portal, the changes to the largest branch of the U.S. armed forces aim to create "leaner, more lethal forces". To achieve this, it must "transform at an accelerated pace by shedding outdated, unnecessary, and inefficient programs, as well as restructuring headquarters and procurement systems."
Among the changes mandated by Hegseth is equipping all divisions with unmanned systems, enabling "AI-based command and control," and increasing the use of 3D printers for equipment manufacturing, which military units are to be equipped with. Hegseth also plans to stop acquiring "outdated systems," including surplus HMMWV vehicles, obsolete Grey Eagle drones, and helicopters.
They aim to increase the role of drones
The Pentagon Chief demands restructuring the assault helicopter formations and supplementing them with "cost-effective swarms of drones capable of overwhelming opponents." As Alex Miller, the chief technology officer on the U.S. Army command staff, said to journalists, this involves the U.S. getting rid of older versions of AH-64D Apache helicopters. As Breaking Defense notes, it is unclear whether they will be replaced with the latest AH-64E version. Poland has ordered 96 of these latest machines.
As quoted by the portal, U.S. Army commander Gen. Randy George stated that retiring older helicopters will actually increase operational readiness due to the cost of maintaining the AH-64D.
The U.S. will also cease further purchases of Humvee (HMMWV) and JLTV vehicles. They will also not procure the newly developed M10 Booker light tanks, the first units of which were delivered to the army last year.
