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Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
What the US Army is flying is around 90% crewed, 10% drone. Leadership wants to flip that.
The US Army secretary and a top general told BI about the service's plans for what it flies. In the coming years, the Army wants to operate far more unmanned aircraft than manned. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants the Army to reduce its crewed attack helicopter force and replace it with drones. US Army leadership told Business Insider it wants to be flying a lot more uncrewed aircraft than crewed ones in the coming years. We are talking about a tremendous increase in the number of drones. Its ambitions, which align with goals outlined by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's recent directive, come from a vision for what Army officials and the Trump administration have described as a more lethal force ready for future warfare. In an interview with Business Insider, US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and Gen. James Rainey, the commanding general of Army Futures Command, said that unprecedented changes in warfare are fueling plans to overhaul what the Army flies. "We believe there's a role for some manned aircraft," Rainey explained, "Big picture-wise, right now, about 90% of the things we're flying have humans in them and 10% don't. And I believe over the next several years, we would like to invert that." The plans to give every division 1,000 drones within the next two years, he added, speak to the "aggressiveness" with which the Army is going after the new uncrewed objectives. Earlier this year, Hegseth sent out a memo on strategic transformations within the Army, laying out goals and timelines for the service, including force restructuring and cuts to certain programs and systems that altogether represent one of the largest Army revamps since the end of the Cold War. The push is estimated to cost around $36 billion over the next five years. In the memo, Hegseth indicated that crewed attack helicopter formations would be reduced, restructured, and augmented with drone swarms capable of overwhelming adversaries. War-winning Army capabilities and the ones that aren't Driscoll said this big change, along with others identified in the DoD memo, is already underway and largely focused on examining what systems no longer make sense in the context of the Army's vision for its future and what systems will replace them. He mentioned the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter as one platform that no longer aligns with plans for the transformation of the force. "The flying costs on that were $10,000 an hour," the secretary said of the older Deltas, pointing out that the figure is about twice the cost of the newer Echo variant of the aircraft. "Those are the kinds of decisions that I think we had let linger and fester for too long as an Army for all sorts of reasons," Driscoll said. "What we are trying to do is take a hard look at these things," he explained, and decide whether they align with what the warfighter needs. Last month, Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan, the Army's deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and training, said that the Deltas are no longer "a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today." Even the more advanced Echos, he said, are "on the cusp of being capabilities where we don't necessarily see them contributing to the fight the way they have done perhaps in the past." The Army plans to shelve the Delta variant and further examine other crewed aircraft that may no longer be sufficiently effective. It is also reviewing other helicopter models and plans to reduce the number of helos operated. The future of war is robotic More broadly, uncrewed aircraft are being seen as alternatives that soldiers can send forward on the battlefield to do missions that crewed aircraft have traditionally done. There's still a place for crewed aircraft in the Army. Some helicopters, for example, still boast value for landing troops behind or around enemy positions to surprise and surround them. But future operations are expected to be a whole lot more robotic, with an Army aviation portfolio that more heavily relies on unmanned systems integrated with manned ones. The Army sees itself at a turning point. Senior defense officials appointed by President Donald Trump have called out what they see as excessive spending, outdated systems and weapons, and a need to expedite changes to be prepared to deter or fight a future conflict. It's part of efforts to maximize readiness, increase lethality, and get soldiers what they need most. Such aims aren't entirely new, though, and execution will be key. During the previous administration, for instance, the Army was already discussing the need for more uncrewed systems and changes to its aircraft fleet, especially with the cancellation of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program. Last year, Rainey told lawmakers that for scouting and recon missions "the right thing to do is to use unmanned systems and not put humans in harm's way." A major motivator for many of the ongoing transformation efforts is China, which the Pentagon has referred to as a pacing challenge. Officials and lawmakers in Washington see China's meteoric military growth and modernization and are pursuing capabilities that will allow the US military to deter aggression and, if necessary, overcome that rapidly evolving fighting force in armed combat. Drones, from pocket-sized aircraft to quadcopters to bigger warfighting assets, are a key part of these efforts, providing a range of combat capabilities en masse for a relatively low cost compared to some other US weapons programs. The Pentagon has been working to expedite the development and deployment of uncrewed aerial systems across the services, recognizing their value as this technology sprints onto the scene in big ways. Army soldiers have been testing different types of reconnaissance and strike drones are being tested in areas like the Indo-Pacific region, learning how to adapt unmanned systems to the challenges of different missions and environments. That's a key aspect of an ongoing "transformation in contact" initiative, which focuses on Army units being given free rein to use different capabilities during training and exercises to see how the systems might work best. The value of drones, particularly the smaller systems, has been especially visible in the war in Ukraine, which Army leaders continue to study. Ukrainian operators fly drones for intelligence-gathering and strike missions, among others. Due to extensive electronic warfare countermeasures on the battlefield, both sides are heavily relying on fiber-optic drones to maintain a stable connection between the operator and system while also exploring new technology, like AI-enabled drones that can resist jamming. The US is not in a similar situation, but it is looking to innovate as if it were.
AsiaOne
27-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
SAF has to come up with new ways to overcome challenges: Chan Chun Sing, Singapore News
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) must "constantly re-examine" its operations to overcome new challenges, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (May 27). Chan was speaking to reporters at Nee Soon Camp, the final stop in his morning visit of high readiness units across all four SAF services — his first since being sworn into his new appointment on May 23. "We are in a changed world. There are new challenges, disruptions because of technology, and new forces that we have to content with," said Chan. "But it is also why we have come up new ways to overcome our challenges." During his visit to Nee Soon Camp, Chan observed troopers from the Army Deployment Force (ADF) conduct their routine training to sharpen their response to peacetime contingencies, such as terrorism threats and disaster relief. The all-regular unit were put through the paces, accounting for strength and equipment, before they were deployed in peacekeeper protected response vehicles. Chan said that he is heartened that the SAF is not resting on its laurels, and is "constantly re-examining the way it does its operations". "It's not just about planning for today's situation that's important for the SAF. It's also about planning forward," he added. Earlier in the morning, Chan, together with Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad and Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo, observed how AH-64D Apache helicopter pilots and air crew from the Republic of Singapore Air Force scrambled to respond to a simulated air threat. It is part of Exercise Rover, run by RSAD's Air Power Generation Command from May 22 to 31. A part of Sembawang Country Club's golf course was converted into a temporary helicopter deployment area — capable of supporting missions such as air defence and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Mindef said that as part of the exercise, AH-64D, H225M and CH-47 helicopters were activated to respond to various scenarios. The minister also visited the Republic of Singapore Navy's training, where the Maritime Security Task Force simulated how they neutralised a terrorist attack against Singapore from the sea. As for the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), he was briefed on its intelligence support for counter-terrorism operations. He also interacted with the DIS personnel who conduct 24/7 intelligence monitoring. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Chan acknowledged that the armed forces capabilities can take years to go from being conceptualised to operational. "Many of the things that I saw this morning, some of them were capabilities that we were talking about many years ago," he said. "And today it's a joy to see them being operational." Chan, a former Education Minister, was moved to helm the defence ministry in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's new Cabinet on May 21. A former army chief before entering politics in 2011, Chan was also Senior Minister of State for Defence and Second Minister for Defence. [[nid:714267]] chingshijie@
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
More than 1,000 troops from US army and SAF carry out exercise in urban warfare
A soldier from the Singapore Army (left) works with his counterparts from the US Army during urban operations at Safti City for Exercise Tiger Balm. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE More than 1,000 troops from US army and SAF carry out exercise in urban warfare SINGAPORE - More than 1,000 troops drawn from the Singapore and US armies executed urban warfare drills with air support from RSAF Apache helicopters and drones during a 12-day b ilateral exercise . This year, it was Singapore's turn to host Exercise Tiger Balm - the longest-running bilateral exercise that the Republic and US have in place. The Ministry of Defence (Mindef), in a statement on May 16 , said 823 soldiers from the SAF and 257 soldiers from the US army too part in the exercise. The SAF troops were drawn from the 6th Singapore Division/Headquarters Sense and Strike (6 Div/HQ SS) and the 7 6th Singapore Infantry Brigade. The US soldiers came from the Hawaii Army National Guard and the 29th Infantry Battalion Combat Team . The exercise lasted nearly two weeks - from May 5 to May 16 - during which soldiers ran through combat exercises and other drills, including urban warfare drills in Safti City. Safti City is a high-tech urban training facility that mimics a densely built-up town, complete with MRT stations, a 12-storey hotel, a school, and malls. Apart from the AH-64D Apache helicopters and Heron 1 unmanned aerial vehicle s from the Republic of Singapore Air Force , a Strike Observer Mission team from the army carried out reconnaissance work during the exercise. On the sidelines, subject matter expert exchanges took place, dealing with the evolution of chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats. Brigadier-General Anand Sathi Kumar , commander of 6 Div/HQ SS, said the exercise this year incorporated new urban combat missions and unmanned technologies as part of the training. The exercise, he added, reaffirmed the deep and strategic partnership between Singapore and the US. Now into its 44th year , Exercise Tiger Balm was first conducted in 1981. The Mindef statement said: 'This annual exercise allows both armies to collaborate and share tactics, techniques and procedures, and is the hallmark of the excellent and long-standing ties between both armed forces. 'These regular interactions have fostered and enhanced the professionalism, friendships and mutual understanding among personnel from both armies.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Poland leases eight Apache gunships as warmup ahead of major delivery
WARSAW, Poland — The Polish Ministry of National Defence has signed a $300 million deal to lease eight Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters from the United States this year. The contract comes in anticipation of the deliveries of 96 AH-64E copters Poland ordered in August 2024. Speaking at the official signing ceremony on Feb. 27 at the 56th Aviation Base in Inowrocław, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the intention is to prepare the air force for operating a large Apache fleet designed to boost its attack capabilities. 'In 2028, we are awaiting the first 15 of the 96 units that we ordered last year for a considerable amount of 10 billion dollars,' Kosiniak-Kamysz was quoted in a statement released by his ministry. 'This is why we are leasing today, we are spending $300 million on this, so that our pilots, ground crews can get familiar with this gear, learn all the skills, take control of it.' Deliveries of the 96 aircraft with related gear and weapons are scheduled to be completed in 2032. Once the helicopters are supplied to Poland, the country's military is expected to be the second-largest user of the Apaches in the world after the United States. Under the offset agreements concluded as part of the procurement, Polish defense companies will be involved in servicing and upgrading the helos.
