AUSA Winter 2013: TRADOC highlights US Army technology requirements

The US Army's top requirements official on 20 February outlined his broad recommendations for upcoming army capabilities, ranging from countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the near term to life-cycle cost relief in the long term.

US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) has provided army acquisition officials with several near-, mid-, and long-term science and technology priorities, TRADOC chief General Robert Cone told an audience at an Association of the US Army symposium in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

In the short term, the command would like to see increased situational awareness and communications capabilities, improved ability to counter WMD and weapons proliferation, extended range precision fires, and a better understanding of traumatic brain injuries.

Regarding counter-proliferation efforts, Gen Cone said: "I think the challenges that we have will extend beyond the special communities involved in this and will likely involve conventional units," so the army must determine how to develop these capabilities within its current formations.

Mid-term priorities include improved operational energy, new training regimens, better force protection capabilities, increased operational manoeuvrability, and improved lethality and accuracy.