MAY 1, 2025 – Army Leaders,
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 edge on the battlefield, our Army will transform to a leaner, more lethal force by adapting how we fight, train, organize, and buy equipment.
Consistent with the Secretary of Defense directive dated 30 April 2025, the Army is implementing a comprehensive transformation strategy — the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI). This initiative will reexamine all requirements and eliminate unnecessary ones, ruthlessly prioritize fighting formations to directly contribute to lethality, and empower leaders at echelon to make hard calls to ensure resources align with strategic objectives. To achieve this, ATI comprises three lines of effort: deliver critical warfighting capabilities, optimize our force structure, and eliminate waste and obsolete programs.
Deliver Warfighting Capabilities.
ATI builds upon our Transformation in Contact (TiC) effort, which prototypes organizational changes and integrates emerging technology into formations to innovate, learn, refine requirements, and develop solutions faster. We will introduce long-range missiles and modernized UAS into formations, field the M1E3 tank, develop the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, and close the C-sUAS capability gap. Command and control nodes will integrate Artificial Intelligence to accelerate decision-making and preserve the initiative. Agile funding, which shifts from program-centric to capability-based portfolios, will increase timely equipment fielding and accelerate innovation cycles. Adaptation is no longer an advantage — it’s a requirement for survival.
Optimize Force Structure.
Our focus is on filling combat formations with Soldiers. Every role must sharpen the spear or be cut away. We are eliminating 1,000 staff positions at HQDA. To further optimize force structure, Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command will merge into a single command that aligns force generation, force design, and force development under a single headquarters. Forces Command will transform into Western Hemisphere Command through the consolidation of Army North and Army South. Multi-Domain Task Forces will align with theater headquarters to operate under relevant authorities. We will trim general officer positions to streamline command structures and revise civilian talent management policies to prioritize performance.
We will also restructure Army Aviation by reducing one Aerial Cavalry Squadron per Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) in the Active Component, and we will consolidate aviation sustainment requirements and increase operational readiness. We will convert all Infantry Brigade Combat Teams to Mobile Brigade Combat Teams to improve mobility and lethality in a leaner formation. We are trading weight for speed, and mass for decisive force.
Eliminate Waste and Obsolete Programs.
We will cancel procurement of outdated crewed attack aircraft such as the AH-64D, excess ground vehicles like the HMMWV and JLTV, and obsolete UAVs like the Gray Eagle. 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.
This is a first step. We have already directed a second round of transformation efforts to be delivered in the coming months.
Leaders, we need you to drive change to ensure we stay lethal, ready, and continue to build cohesive teams that take care of our Soldiers and families. Our Army must transform now to a leaner, more lethal force by infusing technology, cutting obsolete systems, and reducing overhead to defeat any adversary on an ever-changing battlefield. Our continuous transformation is underpinned by strong, agile leaders who act on their initiative.
This We’ll Defend.
Dan Driscoll, Secretary of the Army
Randy A. George, General, United States Army, Chief of Staff