The US military is embarking on its most ambitious makeover since the Cold War, with a $36 billion revamp set to place some 1,000 drones at each of its active-duty divisions and retire outmoded machinery such as Humvees and Apache helicopters. The effort, the Army Transformation Initiative, arrives as the Pentagon tries to reinvent itself in a new era of warfare fuelled by the proliferation of drones and the imperative for quicker, more streamlined responses to threats from competitors such as Russia and China, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The plan was developed after over a year of field testing, including large-scale exercises at Germany's Hohenfels training area, and includes extensive lessons from Ukraine's drone use in its conflict with Russia. The Army now plans to speed up the use of unmanned systems for reconnaissance, logistics, and attack missions, transforming the way its 10 active-duty divisions fight on the battlefield.
Lessons from Ukraine and a new battlefield reality
The Army's shift in focus is a reflection of the way war has changed. Ukraine's mass deployment of inexpensive, easily mobile drones to scout, swarm, and attack has been revolutionary. "Land warfare has become drone warfare. If you can be seen, you can be killed," said retired Gen. Jack Keane, watching recent manoeuvres in Bavaria.
Col. Donald Neal of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment emphasised the need to scale drone use quickly. “We’ve always had drones. but it has been very few,” he said. Now, the Army wants to use drones beyond visual range and integrate them into every echelon of combat.
Drills at Hohenfels replicated Ukraine-style combat, with small drones making missions over icy, muddy landscapes. Battery life and weather-related malfunctions were among the issues that arose, but the Army's learning curve is steep. Three brigades already have begun receiving drone systems, and the service expects to convert the rest of its divisions in two years.
Drones, AI, and digital connectivity power modernisation
In addition to drones, the Army is advancing battlefield connectivity with smartphones, tablets, and real-time data tools. It's spending $3 billion as well to upgrade counter-drone systems and build out its electronic warfare capabilities. The service is fielding a new infantry squad vehicle and is advocating more flexible, tech-savvy formations.
The aim is to create a quick, networked force capable of reacting to danger in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. In contrast to the Marine Corps, which has ditched tanks for island-hopping missile squads, the Army still intends to keep tanks, tilt-rotor planes, and long-range missile systems in addition to the drone introduction.
Savings to pay for transformation
One of the main aspects of the Army's proposal is that it does not ask for additional funds—it redistributes resources. US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Secretary Daniel Driscoll presented the proposal to US Vice President JD Vance as a cost-neutral shift. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the initiative this week.
"We're not going to ask for more money," George said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. "What we need to do is spend our money more efficiently."
Savings will be achieved by suspending purchases of the Humvee and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, scrapping the M10 light tank program, and reducing civilian personnel. Older Apache helicopters will also be phased out.
A new industrial challenge—and geopolitical shift
The shift also poses challenges to the US defence industry base, which will have to ramp up the production of drones and digital warfare systems—without using Chinese components, which are prohibited in US military hardware. Ukraine last year made more than two million drones, many with Chinese components—a rate the US is now attempting to replicate using domestic means.
The change heralds a profound redefinition of Army doctrine, one influenced by global hotspots, real-time information, and AI-driven precision. As Keane wrote, the era of conventional armoured warfare has passed, replaced by a new digital battlefield where visibility is vulnerability—and drones dominate the skies.
“We aren’t going to ask for more money,” George told the Wall Street Journal. “What we want to do is spend the money that we have better.”
Savings will come from halting procurement of the Humvee and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, cancelling the M10 light tank program, and cutting back on civilian personnel. Older Apache helicopters will also be retired.
A new industrial challenge—and geopolitical shift
The transformation also presents challenges for the US defence industrial base, which will need to scale up production of drones and digital warfare systems—without relying on Chinese parts, which are banned in US military equipment. Last year, Ukraine produced over two million drones, often with Chinese components—a pace the US is now trying to match through domestic means.
The shift signals a fundamental redefinition of Army doctrine, one shaped by global conflict zones, real-time data, and AI-powered precision. As Keane noted, the age of traditional armoured warfare has given way to a new digital battlespace where visibility equals vulnerability—and drones rule the skies.
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