WEBVTT 00:00.009 --> 00:02.599 You'll come to order , uh , with us 00:02.599 --> 00:05.039 today , the Secretary of the Army , Dan 00:05.039 --> 00:07.679 Driscoll , Chief of Staff of the Army , 00:07.840 --> 00:10.960 General Randy George . Welcome to you 00:10.960 --> 00:13.310 both , and a happy belated . 00:14.939 --> 00:17.020 Anniversary to the US Army . 00:18.739 --> 00:20.850 Secretary Dristol , I'm glad you were 00:20.850 --> 00:23.010 able to visit Fort Knox yesterday . 00:24.569 --> 00:28.100 I've actually Did you look at the gold ? 00:30.930 --> 00:33.208 It , it's not worth what it used to be , 00:33.208 --> 00:33.040 I'm told . 00:37.880 --> 00:40.102 Anyway , I'm glad , glad you were there 00:40.102 --> 00:42.599 yesterday . I'm sure you found far more 00:42.599 --> 00:45.040 important than the gold we were just 00:45.040 --> 00:47.770 discussing . They find soldiers and 00:47.770 --> 00:50.970 civilians who served there . We 00:50.970 --> 00:53.192 appreciate that both of you are willing 00:53.192 --> 00:55.359 to serve our nation at a consequential 00:55.359 --> 00:57.581 moment for the Army , the Department of 00:57.581 --> 01:01.409 Defense . and our national 01:01.409 --> 01:04.180 security . And we're deeply grateful to 01:04.180 --> 01:07.690 the soldiers you lead for their bravery 01:07.690 --> 01:10.529 and their sacrifice at the tip of the 01:10.529 --> 01:13.529 spear . The recent losses of army 01:13.529 --> 01:16.250 personnel in training incidents in 01:16.250 --> 01:19.330 Lithuania , Hungary , and Iraq are 01:19.330 --> 01:21.330 reminders of the risk US service 01:21.330 --> 01:24.459 members take . Every single day to keep 01:24.459 --> 01:28.459 it safe . Matching the army's 01:28.459 --> 01:31.209 structure and capabilities . To 01:31.209 --> 01:33.550 tomorrow's challenges . While 01:33.550 --> 01:36.379 preserving its ability to fight today . 01:37.180 --> 01:40.250 is essential work . The army's history 01:40.250 --> 01:43.010 reminds us that we don't always Get to 01:43.010 --> 01:45.930 choose the types of war we fight . And 01:45.930 --> 01:48.879 must prepare for all contingencies . 01:49.910 --> 01:52.077 Congress has backed the army through a 01:52.077 --> 01:55.540 litany of failed modernization programs . 01:56.360 --> 01:59.959 Like future combat systems or crusader . 02:01.080 --> 02:03.639 We've watched new requirements , cost 02:03.639 --> 02:07.129 overruns . And adversary advances 02:07.129 --> 02:10.210 undermine their rationale before they 02:10.210 --> 02:14.110 became operational . If 02:14.110 --> 02:16.166 the administration made the case for 02:16.166 --> 02:18.830 sustained increases in defense spending , 02:19.679 --> 02:21.779 The army would have a stronger hand 02:22.270 --> 02:25.550 when asking Congress to take risks on 02:25.550 --> 02:28.539 new initiatives . But net cuts to 02:28.539 --> 02:30.483 defense spending make it harder to 02:30.483 --> 02:33.669 balance the army's current and future 02:33.669 --> 02:36.350 requirements . In the face of growing 02:36.350 --> 02:38.669 threats , pursuing generational change 02:38.669 --> 02:42.050 on the cheap . It's a risky business . 02:43.320 --> 02:45.376 As you work with the Congress on the 02:45.376 --> 02:48.000 Army Transformation Initiative , I hope 02:48.000 --> 02:50.360 you'll look to the Marine Corps' own 02:50.360 --> 02:52.600 controversial modernization program as 02:52.600 --> 02:56.360 a model of transparency and building 02:56.360 --> 02:59.880 trust . Congress has a constitutional 02:59.880 --> 03:01.936 obligation to provide for the common 03:01.936 --> 03:04.960 defense . And to steward taxpayer 03:04.960 --> 03:08.210 dollars responsibly . And we don't 03:08.210 --> 03:10.610 serve either the taxpayer or the common 03:10.610 --> 03:13.889 defense with blank checks for vaguely 03:13.889 --> 03:17.729 defined priorities . We want to see the 03:17.729 --> 03:20.210 analysis behind the specific bets the 03:20.210 --> 03:24.169 army wants to place on ATI . We 03:24.169 --> 03:26.410 want to understand the second order 03:26.410 --> 03:29.960 effects on industry , other services , 03:30.410 --> 03:33.449 and allies . Certainly , the army needs 03:33.449 --> 03:35.160 to be better equipped to face 03:35.160 --> 03:38.130 Indo-Pacific contingencies , and we'll 03:38.130 --> 03:41.809 wait to understand how ATI intends to 03:41.809 --> 03:45.270 achieve . That objective . Tomorrow's 03:45.270 --> 03:49.149 army We'll need to integrate existing 03:49.149 --> 03:52.809 systems . And modernized capabilities . 03:53.619 --> 03:56.529 sustain existing industrial 03:56.529 --> 03:59.570 relationships . And welcome new 03:59.570 --> 04:02.039 entrants to the defense enterprise . 04:02.850 --> 04:05.800 It's not a zero-sum game , and if it's 04:05.800 --> 04:08.190 time to walk away from certain legacy 04:08.190 --> 04:11.440 programs , the army will need to show 04:11.440 --> 04:14.669 its work . For example , if it's time 04:14.669 --> 04:18.149 to move on from the joint light 04:18.149 --> 04:21.269 tactical vehicle . Why did the Army 04:21.269 --> 04:23.989 sign an $8 billion contract two years 04:23.989 --> 04:27.809 ago to procure more of them ? Why did 04:27.809 --> 04:30.130 the army not coordinate its termination 04:30.130 --> 04:33.000 decision ? Or a joint program with the 04:33.000 --> 04:36.250 Marine Corps . And other services to 04:36.250 --> 04:38.472 gauge whether such a decision would put 04:38.472 --> 04:41.239 the budget's operational capabilities , 04:41.850 --> 04:45.839 or readiness at risk . And what is the 04:45.839 --> 04:48.440 impact on the defense industrial base 04:48.440 --> 04:49.959 the army relies on ? 04:54.399 --> 04:56.343 Services have to think through the 04:56.343 --> 05:00.000 industrial . Implications of such 05:00.000 --> 05:02.690 decisions . This isn't an argument to 05:02.690 --> 05:04.746 buy vehicles the army doesn't need . 05:05.230 --> 05:07.429 But a recommendation to consider how 05:07.429 --> 05:10.510 existing manufacturing capacity . Can 05:10.510 --> 05:12.709 be put to better use in light of 05:12.709 --> 05:15.739 changing requirements . The army's 05:15.739 --> 05:17.899 abrupt decision to terminate the 05:17.899 --> 05:21.380 robotic combat vehicle program also 05:21.380 --> 05:24.250 reinforces a tendency to abandon 05:24.660 --> 05:27.850 promising capabilities midstream . 05:29.130 --> 05:31.489 This signals unreliability to industry 05:31.489 --> 05:33.570 partners willing to invest their own 05:33.570 --> 05:35.950 capital . In future military 05:35.950 --> 05:39.480 technologies . In this case , precisely 05:39.480 --> 05:42.869 the kind of innovative tech company , 05:43.320 --> 05:46.980 the army claims it wants to foster . Of 05:46.980 --> 05:49.147 course , when we understand the army's 05:49.147 --> 05:51.369 challenges and objectives , we can help 05:51.369 --> 05:54.519 you achieve them . For example , 05:55.880 --> 05:58.839 We combed through the unexecutable 05:58.839 --> 06:01.799 resources and fiscal 25 requests . 06:02.549 --> 06:04.940 And found resources to fully fund the 06:04.940 --> 06:07.619 Army's number one unfunded priority for 06:07.619 --> 06:10.709 counter . wrong uh 06:10.709 --> 06:13.859 capabilities . While such an important 06:13.859 --> 06:15.970 requirement was unfunded in the first 06:15.970 --> 06:17.637 place , however , raises more 06:17.637 --> 06:19.692 fundamental questions about the army 06:19.692 --> 06:21.803 and department's own budget process . 06:22.730 --> 06:25.239 We also provided additional flexibility 06:25.239 --> 06:28.529 and funding to address UAS and counter 06:28.529 --> 06:31.730 UAS challenges , and we invested in 06:31.730 --> 06:34.170 solid rocket motor production in excess 06:34.170 --> 06:36.003 of the previous administration's 06:36.003 --> 06:38.709 official requests . To help advance 06:38.709 --> 06:40.839 much needed replenishment of the air 06:40.839 --> 06:43.760 defense interceptors and long range 06:43.760 --> 06:47.040 fire . If the army shares our concern 06:47.040 --> 06:49.480 about opacity of air defense and 06:49.480 --> 06:52.640 counter UAS capabilities , I hope you 06:52.640 --> 06:54.529 can explain why there's so little 06:54.529 --> 06:57.839 funding to provide systems like CWIS . 06:59.700 --> 07:01.549 This spring , Secretary Heggit 07:01.549 --> 07:05.010 identified modernizing and sustaining 07:05.339 --> 07:07.820 the organic industrial base as an 07:07.820 --> 07:10.750 urgent priority . When we hear that the 07:10.750 --> 07:13.019 army is considering mothballing , 07:13.549 --> 07:15.950 purpose-built munitions production 07:15.950 --> 07:19.299 facilities already at your disposal . 07:19.959 --> 07:22.519 It raises questions about your intent 07:22.929 --> 07:26.790 to meet this directive . Army depots 07:26.790 --> 07:28.846 in states like Kentucky , Arkansas , 07:28.846 --> 07:32.190 and Alabama have already built trust 07:32.190 --> 07:34.750 with local communities , assemble 07:34.750 --> 07:37.359 skilled workforces , and they continue 07:37.359 --> 07:39.230 to attract interest in new 07:39.230 --> 07:42.929 public-private partnerships . That 07:42.929 --> 07:45.096 would be a win-win for modernization . 07:46.109 --> 07:48.230 So I failed to see how cutting this 07:48.230 --> 07:51.709 essential existing capacity will help 07:51.709 --> 07:53.765 the army reach the production levels 07:53.765 --> 07:57.450 needed to meet growing demands . I 07:57.450 --> 07:59.506 regret that the army is being tasked 07:59.506 --> 08:01.850 with doing more with less , but it's 08:01.850 --> 08:05.019 increasingly likely . That looming 08:05.019 --> 08:07.519 challenges will test us in multiple 08:07.519 --> 08:11.179 theaters simultaneously . That we don't 08:11.179 --> 08:13.459 have the magazine depth for today's 08:13.459 --> 08:16.140 fights , much less the capabilities we 08:16.140 --> 08:18.940 need for tomorrow's . 08:21.390 --> 08:23.679 Certainly we can't expect to keep pace . 08:24.600 --> 08:26.267 With the pacing threat in the 08:26.267 --> 08:29.679 Indo-Pacific . or adversarial alignment 08:29.679 --> 08:32.760 across the globe , if our base defense 08:32.760 --> 08:35.049 budget can't even keep pace with 08:35.049 --> 08:38.239 inflation . This subcommittee hopes to 08:38.239 --> 08:40.183 be an active partner in the army's 08:40.183 --> 08:43.080 modernization efforts , but we can't 08:43.080 --> 08:46.270 expect success . On a shoestring budget . 08:48.349 --> 08:52.150 Hm So , Mr . Secretary General 08:52.150 --> 08:54.372 George , I look forward to hearing your 08:54.372 --> 08:56.679 views on these topics . Turn to you 08:56.679 --> 08:59.119 momentarily for opening comments , but 08:59.119 --> 09:02.489 first , Senator Coons . Thank you Mr . 09:02.549 --> 09:04.549 Chairman and um thank you as well , 09:04.549 --> 09:06.771 Secretary Driscoll and General George . 09:06.771 --> 09:08.882 Thank you for your service uh and for 09:08.882 --> 09:10.993 your testimony before us today uh and 09:10.993 --> 09:13.216 I'd also like to first start by wishing 09:13.216 --> 09:15.493 the army a happy belated birthday . Um , 09:15.493 --> 09:17.493 the army was there at Lexington and 09:17.493 --> 09:19.605 Concord at Gettysburg and Antietam at 09:19.605 --> 09:21.770 Normandy , uh , and at Okinawa at 09:21.770 --> 09:24.260 Fallujah and Kandahar , and across the 09:24.260 --> 09:26.371 centuries and across dozens of fields 09:26.371 --> 09:28.649 of combat at home and around the world . 09:28.649 --> 09:30.704 Uh , the American soldier has fought 09:30.704 --> 09:32.871 and died for our freedoms , upheld the 09:32.871 --> 09:35.093 Constitution , and served the people of 09:35.093 --> 09:37.260 our great nation . Uh , my father , my 09:37.260 --> 09:39.427 brother , my sister-in-law , my uncles 09:39.427 --> 09:39.419 all served honorably in the United 09:39.419 --> 09:41.586 States Army , and I just want to offer 09:41.586 --> 09:43.641 my sincere thanks to all the men and 09:43.641 --> 09:45.808 women , um , serving in uniform around 09:45.808 --> 09:47.975 the world to their families and to our 09:47.975 --> 09:50.086 veterans . Um , I'd also just like to 09:50.086 --> 09:52.252 recognize that as conflict ramps up in 09:52.252 --> 09:54.363 the Middle East , uh , there are tens 09:54.363 --> 09:56.475 of thousands of US service members on 09:56.475 --> 09:58.697 the ground in the region potentially in 09:58.697 --> 10:00.863 harm's way . Uh , and I hope and trust 10:00.863 --> 10:02.919 that the army is doing everything it 10:02.919 --> 10:04.919 can to provide for their safety and 10:04.919 --> 10:07.141 that every policymaker considers , uh , 10:07.141 --> 10:09.141 the risk that they are under in the 10:09.141 --> 10:11.030 decisions we are making . Today's 10:11.030 --> 10:12.919 hearing is to evaluate the army's 10:12.919 --> 10:14.975 fiscal 2026 budget request . General 10:14.975 --> 10:17.197 George , we have discussed the need for 10:17.197 --> 10:19.419 the army to adapt to today's threats to 10:19.419 --> 10:21.141 innovate and to feel different 10:21.141 --> 10:23.419 capabilities more so today than it has , 10:23.419 --> 10:25.197 um , at any previous time in my 10:25.197 --> 10:27.419 lifetime , and I'm keenly interested in 10:27.419 --> 10:29.586 what the army is learning from the war 10:29.586 --> 10:31.641 in Ukraine . How it plans to rapidly 10:31.641 --> 10:33.808 acquire and field UAS and in some ways 10:33.808 --> 10:35.975 more urgently counter UAS technologies 10:35.975 --> 10:38.141 at scale and whether it's investing in 10:38.141 --> 10:40.363 the munitions magazine depth our nation 10:40.363 --> 10:42.252 and allies need in this new era . 10:42.252 --> 10:44.270 Ukraine's recent bold strike into 10:44.270 --> 10:46.492 Russia as part of Operation Spiderweb . 10:46.492 --> 10:48.950 Uh , as well as Israel's bold strike 10:48.950 --> 10:51.450 against Iran's nuclear program , both 10:51.450 --> 10:53.561 illustrate how resourceful planning , 10:53.561 --> 10:55.820 low cost drone weapons , and innovative 10:55.820 --> 10:58.010 strategies can destroy billions worth 10:58.299 --> 11:00.700 of military equipment , uh , and we 11:00.700 --> 11:02.811 know that the wide and increasing use 11:02.811 --> 11:04.978 of these systems and platforms coupled 11:04.978 --> 11:07.033 with dramatic advances in electronic 11:07.033 --> 11:09.033 warfare require new tactics and new 11:09.033 --> 11:11.089 concepts . Uh , we have given you in 11:11.089 --> 11:13.089 the last year flexibility , uh , in 11:13.089 --> 11:15.256 order to address this . Uh , I largely 11:15.256 --> 11:17.311 agree with most of what the chairman 11:17.311 --> 11:19.422 has said , so I will skip a lot of my 11:19.422 --> 11:21.644 opening statement also about innovation 11:21.644 --> 11:21.219 in the private sector and the 11:21.219 --> 11:23.539 industrial base , uh , but in my 11:23.539 --> 11:25.650 discussions with you and other senior 11:25.650 --> 11:27.595 military leaders I've consistently 11:27.595 --> 11:29.817 emphasized the need for procurement and 11:29.817 --> 11:32.369 deployment , um , to speed up in this 11:32.369 --> 11:34.809 era of innovation . The Army's 11:34.809 --> 11:36.920 transformation initiative is meant to 11:36.920 --> 11:39.087 offer a solution to these challenges , 11:39.087 --> 11:41.309 and it may , um , but this subcommittee 11:41.309 --> 11:43.760 does not yet have sufficient fulsome 11:43.760 --> 11:45.871 information from the army in order to 11:45.871 --> 11:48.859 adequately make that assessment . My 11:48.859 --> 11:50.803 other core concern with the Army's 11:50.803 --> 11:52.803 budget is readiness . Uh , when the 11:52.803 --> 11:55.309 FY26 request , uh , when you take out 11:55.309 --> 11:57.440 inflation and the pay raise , it's 11:57.440 --> 12:00.000 essentially flat from 24 . Um , you've 12:00.000 --> 12:02.167 taken deep cuts in your OM accounts to 12:02.167 --> 12:04.679 pay for DHS tasks on the southwest 12:04.679 --> 12:06.679 border and in our cities as well as 12:06.679 --> 12:09.119 overseas operations typically funded in 12:09.119 --> 12:11.729 a supplemental . Uh , DOD claims the 12:11.729 --> 12:13.729 president's budget request pays you 12:13.729 --> 12:15.840 back . But I'm not convinced you will 12:15.840 --> 12:18.007 ever see this funding , um , as I said 12:18.007 --> 12:20.190 to Secretary Hegseth in his hearing 12:20.190 --> 12:22.468 before the subcommittee last week , um , 12:22.468 --> 12:24.579 budget reconciliation is an uncertain 12:24.579 --> 12:26.989 path of partisan effort , and the 12:26.989 --> 12:29.211 president did our military no favors by 12:29.211 --> 12:31.330 not planning for key capabilities in 12:31.330 --> 12:33.710 the base budget . Even if successful , 12:33.799 --> 12:35.910 it seems just as likely DOD will keep 12:35.910 --> 12:38.119 raiding your ONM account to pay for 12:38.119 --> 12:40.359 other priorities until Congress steps 12:40.359 --> 12:42.526 in and says , enough . Every member of 12:42.526 --> 12:44.803 this committee has a role to play here , 12:44.803 --> 12:46.692 a constitutionally mandated one . 12:47.429 --> 12:49.373 Finally , um , I feel compelled to 12:49.373 --> 12:51.485 offer an observation about the nature 12:51.485 --> 12:53.540 of our military and its relationship 12:53.540 --> 12:55.596 with our citizenry , uh , and a plea 12:55.596 --> 12:57.762 for all of us to be thoughtful leaders 12:57.762 --> 12:59.985 in a contentious moment . For 250 years 12:59.985 --> 13:01.985 our military has fought not for any 13:01.985 --> 13:04.207 particular party or policy or president 13:04.207 --> 13:06.040 but for the Constitution and the 13:06.040 --> 13:08.096 freedoms enshrined in it . Uh , I've 13:08.096 --> 13:10.207 traveled the world on behalf of uh my 13:10.207 --> 13:12.318 state and . Uh , the Senate and I can 13:12.318 --> 13:14.429 definitely attest our military is the 13:14.429 --> 13:16.596 cutting edge , most lethal world class 13:16.596 --> 13:18.651 military , and the global role model 13:18.651 --> 13:20.485 for an apolitical military under 13:20.485 --> 13:22.940 civilian control . I'm worried that 13:22.989 --> 13:24.989 that legacy , uh , is under threat 13:24.989 --> 13:27.211 today from something more critical than 13:27.211 --> 13:30.070 funding or interagency reimbursement or 13:30.070 --> 13:32.349 readiness ratings , uh , and that 13:32.349 --> 13:34.571 threat cuts to the core of the role our 13:34.571 --> 13:36.571 military plays in our nation and it 13:36.571 --> 13:38.571 centers on the fragile but critical 13:38.571 --> 13:40.405 trust between the people and its 13:40.405 --> 13:42.627 leaders . Uh , I worry about crossing a 13:42.627 --> 13:44.571 critical line , uh , by asking our 13:44.571 --> 13:46.460 military to serve as de facto law 13:46.460 --> 13:48.627 enforcement either on the border or in 13:48.627 --> 13:50.738 major cities and about the trajectory 13:50.738 --> 13:52.738 of our values when the commander in 13:52.738 --> 13:54.738 chief can goad soldiers into booing 13:54.738 --> 13:56.405 either the press corps or his 13:56.405 --> 13:58.460 predecessor as happened last week in 13:58.460 --> 14:00.571 North Carolina , uh , and frankly too 14:00.571 --> 14:02.516 often both parties contribute to a 14:02.516 --> 14:04.571 divisive environment that is seen as 14:04.571 --> 14:06.793 just politics . We need to reflect each 14:06.793 --> 14:08.960 of us on how we've contributed to this 14:08.960 --> 14:11.016 moment . 250 years doesn't happen by 14:11.016 --> 14:13.299 accident and it's up to all of us to 14:13.299 --> 14:15.632 ensure the fragile flowers of democracy , 14:15.632 --> 14:17.500 rule of law , and an apolitical 14:17.500 --> 14:19.739 military are protected and allowed to 14:19.739 --> 14:21.739 flourish throughout the rest of our 14:21.739 --> 14:23.961 lives . Thank you and I look forward to 14:23.961 --> 14:26.017 our discussion . Thank you , Senator 14:26.017 --> 14:29.270 Coons . We'd ask each of you to , uh , 14:29.280 --> 14:31.502 give an opening statements now starting 14:31.502 --> 14:34.020 with you , Mr . Secretary . Chairman 14:34.020 --> 14:35.964 McConnell , ranking member Coons , 14:35.964 --> 14:38.298 distinguished members of this committee , 14:38.298 --> 14:40.576 it is a privilege to address you today . 14:40.576 --> 14:42.687 I wanna , uh , start by expressing my 14:42.687 --> 14:44.798 sincere gratitude for your unwavering 14:44.798 --> 14:46.742 support for our soldiers and their 14:46.742 --> 14:48.798 families . And I'd like to start off 14:48.798 --> 14:50.742 with some good news . Our story is 14:50.742 --> 14:52.964 alive and thriving . We just celebrated 14:52.964 --> 14:54.964 250 years as an army , and it was a 14:54.964 --> 14:56.964 great success . Our leaders are the 14:56.964 --> 14:59.131 best in the world . I was at Fort Knox 14:59.131 --> 15:00.964 yesterday where I saw how we are 15:00.964 --> 15:03.131 forging warrior leaders from the cadet 15:03.131 --> 15:04.853 summer training to the command 15:04.853 --> 15:06.853 assessment program , and we're just 15:06.853 --> 15:08.909 getting started . We met this year's 15:08.909 --> 15:11.020 recruiting goals 4 months early , and 15:11.020 --> 15:13.131 we are on track to fill 20,000 fiscal 15:13.131 --> 15:15.464 year 26 delayed entry program contracts . 15:16.119 --> 15:17.897 Our recruiters , soldiers , and 15:17.897 --> 15:20.119 families are inspiring fellow Americans 15:20.119 --> 15:22.159 to step up during a time of global 15:22.159 --> 15:25.159 uncertainty and complex threats . They 15:25.159 --> 15:27.159 are the very best our nation has to 15:27.159 --> 15:28.992 offer , so they deserve the best 15:28.992 --> 15:31.760 support in return . That's why when I 15:31.760 --> 15:33.982 went through my confirmation hearings , 15:33.982 --> 15:36.204 I pledged to be the soldier's secretary 15:36.204 --> 15:38.093 of the Army . That commitment has 15:38.093 --> 15:40.204 guided our approach every single step 15:40.204 --> 15:42.204 of the way , and that's why General 15:42.204 --> 15:43.871 George and I believe the Army 15:43.871 --> 15:45.704 Transformation Initiative is the 15:45.704 --> 15:47.816 absolute best way that we can support 15:47.816 --> 15:49.760 our soldiers . Your partnership is 15:49.760 --> 15:51.760 critical to implement this reform , 15:51.760 --> 15:53.704 which is more urgent now than ever 15:53.704 --> 15:56.929 before . Ukraine and Israel are 15:56.929 --> 15:58.929 demonstrating every day how readily 15:58.929 --> 16:00.762 available technology can disrupt 16:00.762 --> 16:03.150 established power dynamics . They are 16:03.150 --> 16:05.150 demonstrating what happens when you 16:05.150 --> 16:07.372 embrace change . They are demonstrating 16:07.372 --> 16:09.594 why our army needs to transform now and 16:09.594 --> 16:11.483 that we can't waste even a single 16:11.483 --> 16:13.419 minute . In my 1st 3 months as 16:13.419 --> 16:15.530 Secretary , General George and I have 16:15.530 --> 16:17.697 been immersed in understanding why the 16:17.697 --> 16:20.070 army has been slow to innovate . Our 16:20.070 --> 16:22.181 soldiers are not the problem . We met 16:22.181 --> 16:24.126 them in the Middle East , Europe , 16:24.126 --> 16:25.959 along our southern border and at 16:25.959 --> 16:28.237 installations across the United States . 16:28.237 --> 16:30.126 Their strength , dedication , and 16:30.126 --> 16:32.181 unwavering commitment to this nation 16:32.181 --> 16:34.348 are inspiring . We ask a great deal of 16:34.348 --> 16:36.403 them and they consistently deliver . 16:36.619 --> 16:38.929 Nor is the ingenuity of American 16:38.929 --> 16:41.260 industry at fault . Our tech sector 16:41.260 --> 16:43.038 continues to thrive , driven by 16:43.038 --> 16:45.149 innovation , entrepreneurship , and a 16:45.149 --> 16:47.690 willingness to embrace risk . So where 16:47.690 --> 16:50.400 does the problem lie ? As secretary , I 16:50.400 --> 16:52.400 have found that the army has become 16:52.400 --> 16:54.567 calcified , having suffered from years 16:54.567 --> 16:56.344 of inefficiencies , slow moving 16:56.344 --> 16:58.344 processes , and wasteful spending . 16:58.344 --> 17:00.511 Program lobbyists and bureaucrats have 17:00.511 --> 17:02.289 overtaken the army's ability to 17:02.289 --> 17:04.456 prioritize soldiers and war fighting . 17:04.456 --> 17:06.678 We must all work together to ensure the 17:06.678 --> 17:09.938 army is ready to fight and win . The 17:09.938 --> 17:11.938 Army Transformation Initiative will 17:11.938 --> 17:13.938 make us into an army that is lean , 17:13.938 --> 17:15.938 agile , and relentlessly focused on 17:15.938 --> 17:18.249 empowering its soldiers . We need to 17:18.249 --> 17:20.471 get rid of what we don't need , acquire 17:20.471 --> 17:22.178 what we do , and chisel our 17:22.178 --> 17:24.538 organization down to a lean , lethal 17:24.538 --> 17:27.739 fighting machine . And so we will forge 17:27.739 --> 17:29.906 closer , more effective and innovative 17:29.906 --> 17:32.072 partnerships with the private sector . 17:32.072 --> 17:34.072 We will take a more venture capital 17:34.072 --> 17:36.270 approach , taking calculated bets that 17:36.270 --> 17:38.829 will pay off big . We will increase our 17:38.829 --> 17:40.718 army's risk tolerance so that our 17:40.718 --> 17:42.885 people experiment , innovate , and use 17:42.885 --> 17:45.030 failure to propel us forward , and we 17:45.030 --> 17:47.310 will be fast , getting soldiers the 17:47.310 --> 17:49.199 things they need quickly and then 17:49.199 --> 17:51.421 iterate to make it better over the long 17:51.421 --> 17:53.819 term . To achieve this this vision we 17:53.819 --> 17:56.290 need to take decisive action right now . 17:56.660 --> 17:58.493 To achieve this vision , we must 17:58.493 --> 18:00.699 implement army transformation and most 18:00.699 --> 18:02.921 importantly , to achieve this vision we 18:02.921 --> 18:05.088 need your support . We are asking this 18:05.088 --> 18:07.199 committee to empower us to make these 18:07.199 --> 18:08.810 changes while providing your 18:08.810 --> 18:10.921 constitutionally mandated oversight . 18:10.921 --> 18:12.977 We are asking for the flexibility to 18:12.977 --> 18:15.143 make decisions that keep pace with the 18:15.143 --> 18:17.032 rapid evolution of technology and 18:17.032 --> 18:18.810 warfare . We're asking for this 18:18.810 --> 18:20.921 committee to work with us to maximize 18:20.921 --> 18:23.088 the value of every dollar appropriated 18:23.088 --> 18:25.255 to best support our soldiers . We look 18:25.255 --> 18:27.310 forward to sharing additional budget 18:27.310 --> 18:29.366 details when they're available . Our 18:29.366 --> 18:30.810 budget priorities are our 18:30.810 --> 18:32.977 transformation priorities . We want to 18:32.977 --> 18:34.643 deliver critical war fighting 18:34.643 --> 18:36.532 capabilities , optimize our force 18:36.532 --> 18:38.532 structure , and eliminate waste and 18:38.532 --> 18:40.643 obsolete programs . Our budget places 18:40.643 --> 18:42.755 soldiers first , enabling them to win 18:42.755 --> 18:44.588 and making sure they have a high 18:44.588 --> 18:46.930 quality of life . It is my duty both as 18:46.930 --> 18:48.708 Secretary of the Army and as an 18:48.708 --> 18:50.763 American citizen , to make sure that 18:50.763 --> 18:52.874 every single dollar is best used when 18:52.874 --> 18:55.041 it's received by the army . And we can 18:55.041 --> 18:57.208 all agree that prioritizing soldiers , 18:57.208 --> 18:59.430 lethality , and readiness is money well 18:59.430 --> 19:02.170 spent . I know we are all committed to 19:02.170 --> 19:04.281 our soldiers , to their success , and 19:04.281 --> 19:06.503 to providing them with the overwhelming 19:06.503 --> 19:08.837 advantage that they deserve . Thank you , 19:08.837 --> 19:10.559 and I welcome your questions . 19:13.540 --> 19:15.318 Chair Chairwoman Collins , uh , 19:15.318 --> 19:17.318 Chairman McConnell , ranking member 19:17.318 --> 19:19.429 Coons , distinguished members of this 19:19.429 --> 19:21.096 committee , thank you for the 19:21.096 --> 19:23.262 opportunity to talk with you today . I 19:23.262 --> 19:25.429 would like to start off by saying that 19:25.429 --> 19:27.540 I'm extremely proud of our army . I'm 19:27.540 --> 19:27.430 proud of our troops out in the 19:27.430 --> 19:29.709 Indo-Pacific on the southern border in 19:29.709 --> 19:32.510 the Middle East , in Europe . And of 19:32.510 --> 19:34.621 everything our army has done over the 19:34.621 --> 19:36.621 past year to respond to wildfires , 19:36.621 --> 19:38.732 floods , and even a bridge collapse , 19:38.750 --> 19:40.972 we have formations all around the world 19:40.972 --> 19:43.270 conducting missions and exercises and 19:43.270 --> 19:45.603 innovating with our partners and allies . 19:46.069 --> 19:47.958 When not deployed , our units are 19:47.958 --> 19:50.069 conducting tough , realistic training 19:50.069 --> 19:52.180 at their home stations and our combat 19:52.180 --> 19:54.013 training centers . Our army is a 19:54.013 --> 19:56.180 professional team that remains focused 19:56.180 --> 19:58.402 on its war fighting mission , and young 19:58.402 --> 20:00.402 Americans want to be a part of it . 20:00.402 --> 20:02.180 This is evidenced by our strong 20:02.180 --> 20:04.402 recruiting numbers this year and as you 20:04.402 --> 20:06.625 know , we've already met our recruiting 20:06.625 --> 20:06.349 mission for the year and we still have 20:06.349 --> 20:08.630 our most productive months still ahead 20:08.630 --> 20:11.380 of us this summer . And while I'm proud 20:11.380 --> 20:13.547 of our army , I also know we have work 20:13.547 --> 20:15.819 to do . We know the world is changing 20:15.819 --> 20:17.652 commercial technology is rapidly 20:17.652 --> 20:20.300 evolving , especially AI and autonomous 20:20.300 --> 20:22.819 systems , and this is impacting the 20:22.819 --> 20:25.020 character of war . We understand that 20:25.020 --> 20:27.187 we must transform to stay ahead of our 20:27.187 --> 20:29.409 adversaries , and we need to get better 20:29.409 --> 20:32.540 by 2026 and 2027 , not by 20:32.540 --> 20:35.660 2030 . Over the last year , using 20:35.660 --> 20:37.859 existing FY24 funding , some of our 20:37.859 --> 20:40.689 units transformed in contact . Which 20:40.689 --> 20:43.099 means they experimented with changing 20:43.099 --> 20:45.410 how we train , fight , man , and 20:45.410 --> 20:47.632 equipped while they were deployed or in 20:47.632 --> 20:49.577 training environments . This was a 20:49.577 --> 20:51.688 great proof of concept . It confirmed 20:51.688 --> 20:53.632 that our formations are capable of 20:53.632 --> 20:56.189 rapidly improving their lethality . One 20:56.189 --> 20:58.300 transformation and contact brigade in 20:58.300 --> 21:00.449 Europe was 300% more effective in 21:00.449 --> 21:02.329 lethal targeting in training . 21:03.790 --> 21:05.846 Transformation and contact taught us 21:05.846 --> 21:07.901 some valuable lessons about what our 21:07.901 --> 21:10.123 army should be buying and how we should 21:10.123 --> 21:12.234 be buying it . And we're just getting 21:12.234 --> 21:15.089 started . We're gonna make changes that 21:15.089 --> 21:17.033 we can at our level so that we can 21:17.033 --> 21:18.811 continue to dominate the modern 21:18.811 --> 21:20.867 battlefield . For instance , we will 21:20.867 --> 21:22.922 cancel programs that are obsolete or 21:22.922 --> 21:24.645 not what our war fighters need 21:24.645 --> 21:26.422 developed and adapt war winning 21:26.422 --> 21:28.645 capabilities and by modular open system 21:29.089 --> 21:30.922 architecture designs that can be 21:30.922 --> 21:33.849 iteratively updated . Cut and 21:33.849 --> 21:36.071 consolidate headquarters for instance , 21:36.071 --> 21:38.770 we're gonna reduce GO structure , cut 21:38.770 --> 21:40.548 positions from our headquarters 21:40.548 --> 21:42.714 department of the Army staff , and add 21:42.714 --> 21:44.770 in modern business systems that will 21:44.770 --> 21:46.992 make us more effective . And finally we 21:46.992 --> 21:49.214 will power down authorities and funding 21:49.214 --> 21:51.159 so that commanders in our fighting 21:51.159 --> 21:53.326 formations have what they need to make 21:53.326 --> 21:55.492 their teams and their communities more 21:55.492 --> 21:57.540 successful . What I've learned from 21:57.540 --> 21:59.651 being in the seat , it is , it is our 21:59.651 --> 22:01.762 job as leaders to do what we can with 22:01.762 --> 22:03.762 the budget that we have . I've been 22:03.762 --> 22:05.596 talking about the need for agile 22:05.596 --> 22:09.260 funding for UAS counter UAS and EW . We 22:09.260 --> 22:12.209 need more flexibility in those areas . 22:12.689 --> 22:14.780 Technology is changing too rapidly . 22:14.819 --> 22:16.375 We've got to be able to buy 22:16.375 --> 22:18.420 capabilities rather than specific 22:18.420 --> 22:20.587 programs so that we can always get our 22:20.587 --> 22:22.642 war fighters the best available tech 22:22.642 --> 22:25.119 and equipment for the fight . This is 22:25.119 --> 22:28.219 where we could use Congress's help . As 22:28.219 --> 22:29.941 you saw this past weekend , we 22:29.941 --> 22:32.163 celebrated our army's birthday . It was 22:32.163 --> 22:34.386 an honor to recognize American soldiers 22:34.386 --> 22:36.608 who have defended this great nation for 22:36.608 --> 22:39.060 the past 250 years , and our soldiers 22:39.060 --> 22:41.282 are ready today to defend the country . 22:41.282 --> 22:43.504 We will do our part to ensure that they 22:43.504 --> 22:45.727 have what they need to be successful in 22:45.727 --> 22:47.838 that enduring mission . Thank you for 22:47.838 --> 22:49.838 your support and we look forward to 22:49.838 --> 22:49.380 your questions . 22:55.829 --> 22:59.750 He Rightly identified the need to 22:59.750 --> 23:03.020 sustain and modernize organic 23:03.510 --> 23:07.079 industrial base . I was frustrated by 23:07.079 --> 23:09.599 the previous administration's slow pace 23:09.599 --> 23:11.640 and addressing obvious production 23:11.640 --> 23:14.800 shortfalls for critical munitions . 23:15.739 --> 23:17.839 So the department's renewed focus on 23:17.839 --> 23:20.239 this challenge , certainly welcome . 23:21.479 --> 23:23.590 The subcommittee has taken this issue 23:23.590 --> 23:26.609 seriously for some time and worked to 23:26.609 --> 23:28.449 prioritize modern production 23:28.449 --> 23:30.130 capabilities and encourage 23:30.130 --> 23:32.969 public-private partnerships at Army 23:32.969 --> 23:36.579 depots . So despite the identified need 23:36.579 --> 23:38.939 to expand and modernize production 23:38.939 --> 23:40.939 capacity within the army's organic 23:40.939 --> 23:44.060 industrial base , I'm confused by 23:44.060 --> 23:46.116 reports that the army is considering 23:46.116 --> 23:49.319 mothballing . Depots like 23:49.319 --> 23:52.439 Bluegrass , Pine Bluff , Anderson , and 23:52.439 --> 23:55.300 Red River . It strikes me as 23:55.540 --> 23:59.160 counterintuitive . So Miss Secretary 23:59.160 --> 24:01.369 and General , does the army intend to 24:01.369 --> 24:04.290 shut down these facilities ? If so , 24:04.530 --> 24:07.250 how is this consistent with the stated 24:07.250 --> 24:10.719 objective of sustaining and modernizing 24:10.719 --> 24:13.219 them ? And if that remains the 24:13.219 --> 24:15.459 objective , what steps does the army 24:15.459 --> 24:18.099 propose to best take advantage of the 24:18.099 --> 24:21.469 army's organic industrial base ? 24:24.479 --> 24:26.739 Um , Chairman , I , I agree with you on 24:26.739 --> 24:28.961 the organic industrial base . I know we 24:28.961 --> 24:31.017 both agree with you on , um , moving 24:31.017 --> 24:33.017 that forward . One of the decisions 24:33.017 --> 24:35.420 that we made obviously was , um , at 24:35.420 --> 24:38.579 some of these , uh , places do we 24:38.579 --> 24:40.739 continue to invest in doing things at 24:40.739 --> 24:42.850 the , at these locations that we know 24:42.850 --> 24:45.380 we don't need , for example , areas 24:45.380 --> 24:48.540 where , um . We know we are well beyond 24:48.540 --> 24:50.762 the max or we're producing things maybe 24:50.762 --> 24:52.651 that we don't need for the modern 24:52.651 --> 24:54.707 battlefield so , um , that's what we 24:54.707 --> 24:56.929 are coming back to . I mean , I don't , 24:56.929 --> 24:59.040 I don't think anybody we know we need 24:59.040 --> 25:01.096 to improve in this area . One of the 25:01.096 --> 25:03.262 areas that we have talked about , um , 25:03.262 --> 25:05.429 as an example is being able to produce 25:05.429 --> 25:07.429 drones and being able to do that at 25:07.429 --> 25:09.707 scale and and produce drone parts . Um , 25:09.707 --> 25:11.762 I think you mentioned , um , some of 25:11.762 --> 25:13.762 what we need to do as far as , um , 25:13.762 --> 25:16.420 improving on our , you know , munitions 25:16.420 --> 25:18.642 and work in that . So I know we need to 25:18.642 --> 25:20.698 work with the committee to come back 25:20.698 --> 25:22.642 and , uh , talk to you about those 25:22.642 --> 25:25.130 things . And I , I would just echo that 25:25.130 --> 25:27.297 the , the , the magazine debt that our 25:27.297 --> 25:29.569 army has is um low and we , we 25:29.569 --> 25:31.513 acknowledge that the , the organic 25:31.513 --> 25:33.291 industrial base has got to be a 25:33.291 --> 25:35.069 component . In maintaining that 25:35.069 --> 25:37.236 stability going forward , I think when 25:37.236 --> 25:39.402 we've looked at these couple of depots 25:39.402 --> 25:41.513 in particular , what we believe today 25:41.513 --> 25:43.736 is what we're making there now does not 25:43.736 --> 25:45.680 justify the cost . What we are not 25:45.680 --> 25:47.847 saying is that those depots don't have 25:47.847 --> 25:50.013 a role in the future , but the current 25:50.013 --> 25:50.010 things being manufactured there are 25:50.010 --> 25:52.359 duplicative and expensive . And so what 25:52.359 --> 25:54.470 we've directed the team to do is help 25:54.470 --> 25:56.359 us create a plan to actually take 25:56.359 --> 25:58.581 advantage of the resources that we have 25:58.581 --> 26:00.748 and be good custodians of the American 26:00.748 --> 26:04.609 taxpayers' dollars . All right , Mr . 26:04.760 --> 26:06.816 Secretary General , what lessons has 26:06.816 --> 26:08.704 the army learned and applied from 26:08.704 --> 26:10.871 Ukraine and Israel about the future of 26:10.871 --> 26:13.770 warfare ? How do these lessons inform 26:13.770 --> 26:17.050 the army's modernization efforts and 26:17.050 --> 26:20.170 your preparations for an Indo-Pacific 26:20.170 --> 26:23.180 contingency . I can , uh , kick off and 26:23.180 --> 26:25.458 then hand it to my battle buddies . So , 26:25.458 --> 26:27.402 um , I think that one of the first 26:27.402 --> 26:29.569 things we have learned is we , we have 26:29.569 --> 26:31.624 got to have a data layer that allows 26:31.624 --> 26:33.569 our soldiers to communicate across 26:33.569 --> 26:35.791 space and time . That data layer has to 26:35.791 --> 26:37.902 be synced with our things like all of 26:37.902 --> 26:40.069 our equipment and then our sensors and 26:40.069 --> 26:42.291 it all has to be sharing information in 26:42.291 --> 26:44.513 near real time because with . that very 26:44.513 --> 26:46.347 basic data layer , anything like 26:46.347 --> 26:48.402 applying um generative AI and all of 26:48.402 --> 26:50.458 the things we could do for targeting 26:50.458 --> 26:52.736 offensive and defensively cannot occur . 26:52.736 --> 26:54.847 And so , um , the , the fastest thing 26:54.847 --> 26:56.902 we're trying to move on is getting a 26:56.902 --> 26:58.958 data layer so that we can layer in a 26:58.958 --> 27:00.569 lot of these kind of digital 27:00.569 --> 27:02.513 advancements that are happening in 27:02.513 --> 27:02.300 Ukraine . Chief , you want to take the 27:02.300 --> 27:05.599 last bit . Um , Chairman , I could 27:05.599 --> 27:07.766 probably go on for this for quite some 27:07.766 --> 27:09.932 time , so I will just , you know , and 27:09.932 --> 27:12.155 what we look at when we look at lessons 27:12.155 --> 27:14.321 learned lessons we talk about observed 27:14.321 --> 27:16.432 because until we actually change what 27:16.432 --> 27:16.280 we're doing , you know , we haven't 27:16.280 --> 27:18.169 learned them until we've actually 27:18.169 --> 27:20.336 changed our organization , changed how 27:20.336 --> 27:22.502 we're operating , um , and that's what 27:22.502 --> 27:24.558 we're trying to do with transforming 27:24.558 --> 27:26.558 and contact . Um , I , you know , I 27:26.558 --> 27:28.558 think a big one is you , you can be 27:28.558 --> 27:30.891 seen anywhere on this planet , you know , 27:30.891 --> 27:32.891 nowadays , and so signature is very 27:32.891 --> 27:34.891 important . So what we are doing to 27:34.891 --> 27:37.002 reduce our signature of our unit , it 27:37.002 --> 27:39.002 gets back to what the secretary was 27:39.002 --> 27:41.169 talking about as far as our , what our 27:41.169 --> 27:43.336 command and control systems are , what 27:43.336 --> 27:42.900 kind of emissions we're putting out , 27:42.949 --> 27:44.727 how are we reducing the visible 27:44.727 --> 27:47.060 signature , um , for those things , you 27:47.060 --> 27:49.227 know that's one big area and that that 27:49.227 --> 27:51.630 that changes go across all of the war 27:51.630 --> 27:54.339 fighting functions . Um , just because 27:54.339 --> 27:56.506 of logistics , I mean things like that 27:56.506 --> 27:58.561 that are easy to , you know , you're 27:58.561 --> 28:00.689 easy to spot and so how we reduce our 28:00.689 --> 28:03.339 logistical tail headquarters sizes , 28:03.359 --> 28:05.192 all of those things are gonna be 28:05.192 --> 28:07.137 incredibly important . I think the 28:07.137 --> 28:09.359 biggest thing that we are trying to get 28:09.359 --> 28:11.637 after and that's why we've asked about , 28:11.637 --> 28:13.859 um , with agile funding is to be able , 28:13.859 --> 28:15.970 we know that with drones , countering 28:15.970 --> 28:18.780 drones and EW it is moving very rapidly , 28:18.900 --> 28:21.178 you know , 2 weeks , 3 weeks , a month . 28:21.569 --> 28:24.020 And you know , in those areas I think 28:24.020 --> 28:26.242 producing anything that is a program or 28:26.242 --> 28:28.576 record probably is not gonna , you know , 28:28.576 --> 28:30.742 is not gonna maintain the pace of what 28:30.742 --> 28:32.631 we need to do so we need to build 28:32.631 --> 28:34.687 modular open system architecture and 28:34.687 --> 28:36.798 all of these systems and then be able 28:36.798 --> 28:38.798 to adapt them and that's what we're 28:38.798 --> 28:40.900 working to do and . In all three of 28:40.900 --> 28:43.650 those areas , but um we are definitely 28:43.650 --> 28:45.650 paying attention to those . We have 28:45.650 --> 28:48.380 updates on those , um , I would say 28:48.380 --> 28:50.436 weekly , and we send those around to 28:50.436 --> 28:52.547 the army . We are updating our combat 28:52.547 --> 28:54.658 training centers to make sure that we 28:54.658 --> 28:56.880 understand . What it's like to fight in 28:56.880 --> 28:59.102 those environments the best we can that 28:59.102 --> 29:01.269 we can produce um stateside and we are 29:01.269 --> 29:04.189 actually trying to also change at every 29:04.189 --> 29:06.300 one of our installations , you know , 29:06.310 --> 29:08.477 the rules and regulations to make sure 29:08.477 --> 29:10.366 that we can fly drones and do the 29:10.366 --> 29:12.532 things that we need to do . We have to 29:12.532 --> 29:14.699 train in these environments too before 29:14.699 --> 29:16.699 we get ready to , you know , deploy 29:16.699 --> 29:18.930 anywhere um for our nation . Which 29:18.930 --> 29:21.152 leads me to finally ask , talking about 29:21.152 --> 29:24.459 training environment . What if the US 29:24.459 --> 29:26.599 decided to cut off assistance and 29:26.599 --> 29:29.550 information sharing with Ukraine ? Are 29:29.550 --> 29:31.494 you concerned that that would lose 29:31.494 --> 29:34.349 valuable insight into their operational 29:34.349 --> 29:37.439 experiences ? And what message would 29:37.439 --> 29:40.119 that send to our allies in the 29:40.119 --> 29:41.079 Indo-Pacific ? 29:45.449 --> 29:47.640 We , we are getting a lot of , uh , 29:47.719 --> 29:49.663 valuable information and trying to 29:49.663 --> 29:51.830 glean those lessons . I think that was 29:51.830 --> 29:53.886 your point , um , Chairman , that we 29:53.886 --> 29:56.108 are getting from them , you know , with 29:56.108 --> 29:58.219 what we're doing with the training if 29:58.219 --> 30:00.520 that stopped . Um , I mean , I think 30:00.520 --> 30:02.742 that obviously getting that information 30:02.742 --> 30:04.853 is very valuable to us and , and what 30:04.853 --> 30:07.131 we're doing . I mean , we , we collect , 30:07.131 --> 30:08.964 I think we do a lot of things to 30:08.964 --> 30:10.909 collect and share lessons with our 30:10.909 --> 30:13.076 partners around the world , you know , 30:13.076 --> 30:15.076 that is something that we have been 30:15.076 --> 30:17.409 doing and , and pretty consistent about . 30:17.409 --> 30:19.520 So I mean that all of that is helpful 30:19.520 --> 30:21.631 and helpful to build our formations . 30:21.631 --> 30:24.189 You ain't adminstructor . Um , I , I 30:24.189 --> 30:26.300 second what the , um , General George 30:26.300 --> 30:28.790 said . I did that that Ukraine has been 30:28.790 --> 30:30.734 described as the Silicon Valley of 30:30.734 --> 30:32.619 warfare . Um , the , the biggest 30:32.619 --> 30:34.563 lessons that are occurring in this 30:34.563 --> 30:36.619 transition and this inflection point 30:36.619 --> 30:39.430 that how humans have conflict is 30:39.430 --> 30:41.430 changing right now in a way that it 30:41.430 --> 30:43.486 hasn't changed in a very long time , 30:43.486 --> 30:44.986 and the front line of that 30:44.986 --> 30:47.390 definitionally is Ukraine , um , and we 30:47.390 --> 30:49.612 are learning a lot as the United States 30:49.612 --> 30:51.557 Army from what's occurring there . 30:51.557 --> 30:54.729 Coons , thank you , Chairman . Um , if 30:54.729 --> 30:56.729 I could just , uh , a brief opening 30:56.729 --> 30:58.951 question for both of you . Um , for the 30:58.951 --> 31:00.896 record , do you oppose a full year 31:00.896 --> 31:03.007 continuing resolution for the Army in 31:03.007 --> 31:05.640 FY 26 ? Mr . Secretary , 31:07.020 --> 31:09.650 Um , I , I think the , the army will 31:09.650 --> 31:11.761 operate under whatever constraints we 31:11.761 --> 31:13.817 are given . Does it disadvantage the 31:13.817 --> 31:15.872 army to have to operate under a full 31:15.872 --> 31:17.428 your CR , general ? Does it 31:17.428 --> 31:19.261 disadvantage the army to have to 31:19.261 --> 31:21.483 operate under budget . Thank you . Um , 31:21.483 --> 31:23.706 I think so to all of us , but it's just 31:23.706 --> 31:25.872 helpful to have clarity on that , um , 31:25.872 --> 31:27.983 and , and I agree with the point just 31:27.983 --> 31:27.849 raised in the last question by the 31:27.849 --> 31:29.793 chairman that our partnership with 31:29.793 --> 31:31.849 Ukraine is absolutely critical . And 31:31.849 --> 31:34.071 I'll tell you from my last bipartisan , 31:34.071 --> 31:36.293 uh , trip , CODEL with Senator Ricketts 31:36.293 --> 31:38.293 to Taiwan and the Philippines , our 31:38.293 --> 31:40.790 treaty ally and our partner are 31:40.790 --> 31:43.109 watching very closely whether our 31:43.109 --> 31:45.331 support for Ukraine is sustained in the 31:45.331 --> 31:47.553 face of aggression by Russia , uh , and 31:47.553 --> 31:49.776 they will draw conclusions from whether 31:49.776 --> 31:51.942 or not we are a steadfast and reliable 31:51.942 --> 31:54.109 partner . Let me turn to my , uh , two 31:54.109 --> 31:56.442 core questions . Um , I've had the , uh , 31:56.442 --> 31:58.165 tragic honor of attending many 31:58.165 --> 32:00.331 dignified transfers at Dover Air Force 32:00.331 --> 32:02.553 Base General . I've seen you . There as 32:02.553 --> 32:04.776 well . Uh , and I recall clearly , um , 32:04.776 --> 32:06.831 18 months ago , uh , the transfer of 32:06.831 --> 32:08.498 the remains of the three army 32:08.498 --> 32:10.665 reservists who were killed at Tower 22 32:10.665 --> 32:12.831 in Jordan . Uh , they were killed by a 32:12.831 --> 32:15.053 very low cost , low tech , but lethal , 32:15.053 --> 32:17.709 um , Iranian drone . We did not at that 32:17.709 --> 32:19.920 time , uh , have the counter UAS 32:19.920 --> 32:21.753 systems to intercept detect it , 32:21.753 --> 32:23.920 intercept it and stop it . Uh , I went 32:23.920 --> 32:25.809 back to the region and met with a 32:25.809 --> 32:28.031 series of military leaders and was very 32:28.031 --> 32:30.031 concerned by what I heard about the 32:30.031 --> 32:32.180 lack of currently available deployed 32:32.180 --> 32:34.699 effective counter UAS systems and as I 32:34.699 --> 32:36.810 mentioned , given developments in the 32:36.810 --> 32:39.032 region , this is a heightened concern . 32:39.032 --> 32:41.143 General George , what does the fiscal 32:41.143 --> 32:43.088 year 26 budget request show that's 32:43.088 --> 32:44.859 gonna address this dynamic and 32:44.859 --> 32:47.329 concisely help me understand how you're 32:47.329 --> 32:50.089 achieving through agile agile funding , 32:50.099 --> 32:52.290 forgive me , the need , as you said , 32:52.380 --> 32:54.430 to buy capabilities rather than 32:54.430 --> 32:56.540 specific programs of record in this 32:56.540 --> 32:59.420 area where the technology is rapidly 32:59.420 --> 33:01.476 emerging . We have a great partner , 33:01.476 --> 33:04.410 the Silicon Valley . warfare right now . 33:04.619 --> 33:06.930 How does this budget request accelerate 33:06.930 --> 33:09.097 your capacity to deploy and defend our 33:09.097 --> 33:12.479 troops ? Um , I think you're gonna see , 33:12.729 --> 33:14.729 um , sir , that we're , we're gonna 33:14.729 --> 33:16.896 spend a lot more money on specifically 33:16.896 --> 33:19.170 on counter UAS . I would also tell you 33:19.170 --> 33:21.281 that spending the money on the drones 33:21.281 --> 33:23.392 helps as well because there are cases 33:23.392 --> 33:25.448 where we have , you know , I think a 33:25.448 --> 33:27.614 lot of what we're learning too is that 33:27.614 --> 33:29.726 drone on drone is a good , you know , 33:29.726 --> 33:31.948 way to , to do counter UAS . So I think 33:31.948 --> 33:34.003 it's gonna be a little bit of both , 33:34.003 --> 33:36.170 and that's a big part of what we wanna 33:36.170 --> 33:38.281 do with the transformation initiative 33:38.281 --> 33:40.448 is make sure that we're spending . You 33:40.448 --> 33:42.559 know , focused on those areas I think 33:42.559 --> 33:42.449 everybody's gonna have to deal with 33:42.449 --> 33:44.393 this across the joint force moving 33:44.393 --> 33:46.393 forward . Everyone is gonna have to 33:46.393 --> 33:48.609 deal with , um , countering drones we 33:48.609 --> 33:51.530 are uh we are doing a lot with making 33:51.530 --> 33:53.609 sure that we are , you know , not 33:53.609 --> 33:56.150 sending stuff to , um , you know , 33:56.250 --> 33:58.306 white sands or doing it other places 33:58.306 --> 34:00.472 we're still using those areas but also 34:00.472 --> 34:02.583 just spending things , sending things 34:02.583 --> 34:05.160 directly . Um , to the Middle East is 34:05.160 --> 34:07.216 for an example what we're doing with 34:07.216 --> 34:09.327 transforming a contact we have a very 34:09.327 --> 34:11.382 large exercise that's going on right 34:11.382 --> 34:13.549 now . We'd love to come over and brief 34:13.549 --> 34:13.449 you at the out , um , when we get 34:13.449 --> 34:15.560 finished with it called flytrap where 34:15.560 --> 34:18.040 we're doing this , um , over in Europe 34:18.409 --> 34:20.370 actually putting all the different 34:20.370 --> 34:23.250 sensors , um , making sure that we're 34:23.250 --> 34:25.472 lashed up as far as the data layer that 34:25.472 --> 34:27.472 the secretary was talking about and 34:27.472 --> 34:29.639 then kinetic and non-kinetic effectors 34:29.639 --> 34:31.861 we have to get after the cost curve and 34:31.861 --> 34:34.028 I think that that's what we're looking 34:34.028 --> 34:36.194 at . And there's many , and I could go 34:36.194 --> 34:35.870 down the list of directed energy , 34:35.909 --> 34:38.989 laser , kinetic , drone on drone , I 34:38.989 --> 34:41.870 mean testing all of those EW systems 34:41.870 --> 34:44.070 that we are doing and we need to scale 34:44.070 --> 34:46.181 it is I think is your point . We do , 34:46.350 --> 34:48.239 um , and I look , as I said in my 34:48.239 --> 34:50.406 opening comments and I've communicated 34:50.406 --> 34:52.683 to both of you , I agree the army must , 34:52.683 --> 34:54.906 uh , change and modernize how it fights 34:54.906 --> 34:57.072 and must take into account significant 34:57.072 --> 34:59.239 changes in technology , uh , but , but 34:59.239 --> 35:01.919 bluntly , um . Months after you've 35:01.919 --> 35:03.808 announced the Army Transformation 35:03.808 --> 35:05.752 Initiative , this committee hasn't 35:05.752 --> 35:07.586 received detailed or substantive 35:07.586 --> 35:09.919 analysis as to why the Army is planning 35:09.919 --> 35:11.863 to cancel or reduce 12 programs of 35:11.863 --> 35:14.086 record , consolidate or reduce staffing 35:14.086 --> 35:16.197 at 21 commands or how the investments 35:16.197 --> 35:18.197 you're proposing will significantly 35:18.197 --> 35:20.469 enhance battlefield lethality . Um , I 35:20.469 --> 35:22.691 am eager to work with you in good faith 35:22.691 --> 35:24.691 just as this committee did with the 35:24.691 --> 35:26.469 Marine Corps , but we need your 35:26.469 --> 35:28.580 analysis to make informed decisions , 35:28.580 --> 35:30.747 Mr . Secretary , when will the Army be 35:30.747 --> 35:32.858 able to brief the Army Transformation 35:32.858 --> 35:34.413 initiative in detail to the 35:34.413 --> 35:36.691 subcommittee so we can do our job ? Um , 35:36.691 --> 35:38.858 Senator , we'd be happy to come by any 35:38.858 --> 35:40.913 time , but I think very specifically 35:40.913 --> 35:42.913 you will have that detail within 10 35:42.913 --> 35:45.136 days . That would be welcome . Um , did 35:45.136 --> 35:47.290 you coordinate critical ATI decisions 35:47.290 --> 35:49.050 with other services before you 35:49.050 --> 35:51.050 announced the cancellation of joint 35:51.050 --> 35:55.020 programs ? Um , we Looking at ATI and 35:55.020 --> 35:57.076 when we do the math , it's basically 35:57.076 --> 35:59.131 $48 billion in spending over 5 years 35:59.131 --> 36:01.242 that um we don't think is relevant to 36:01.242 --> 36:03.187 the army anymore and the reason we 36:03.187 --> 36:05.409 don't is you talk to soldiers there are 36:05.409 --> 36:07.187 instances where the army hadn't 36:07.187 --> 36:09.353 requested a Humvee in years and yet we 36:09.353 --> 36:09.010 kept it again . I hear you . My 36:09.010 --> 36:11.066 question was about consultation with 36:11.066 --> 36:13.121 other forces , other services . Um , 36:13.121 --> 36:15.232 I'm giving you a long way to answer , 36:15.232 --> 36:17.343 Senator , to basically say the reason 36:17.343 --> 36:19.399 that change was so hard . Is because 36:19.399 --> 36:21.343 when that consultation occurs what 36:21.343 --> 36:23.454 would happen is the antibodies in the 36:23.454 --> 36:25.510 system come up to stop change and so 36:25.510 --> 36:27.621 when we waited the decision of how do 36:27.621 --> 36:27.545 we actually get the most likely chance 36:27.545 --> 36:30.075 of succeeding , we decided that the 36:30.075 --> 36:31.908 best chance was to sync with the 36:31.908 --> 36:33.516 Pentagon leadership and the 36:33.516 --> 36:35.683 administration and keep it very narrow 36:35.683 --> 36:37.460 until after announcement but we 36:37.460 --> 36:39.683 consulted with them the night before we 36:39.683 --> 36:41.794 announced it and then very soon after 36:41.794 --> 36:44.016 it came out live . You're you're well . 36:44.016 --> 36:46.127 Where , uh , examples like the Marine 36:46.127 --> 36:48.183 Corps being very surprised about the 36:48.183 --> 36:50.183 JLTV cancellation and , and they're 36:50.183 --> 36:52.294 needing to be significant adjustments 36:52.294 --> 36:51.592 following that absolutely , Senator , 36:51.612 --> 36:53.723 and we , we weighed the risks and the 36:53.723 --> 36:55.834 benefits and decided it was , uh , we 36:55.834 --> 36:58.001 believed better to do it . Can I , can 36:58.001 --> 36:59.890 I just make one comment on that , 36:59.890 --> 37:02.056 please , Senator , only because , uh , 37:02.056 --> 37:04.211 you know , we , we always with the 37:04.211 --> 37:06.322 across the joint staff and across the 37:06.322 --> 37:08.489 services . Um , you know , we're gonna 37:08.489 --> 37:10.433 fight as a joint force , and we're 37:10.433 --> 37:12.489 looking at this and , you know , the 37:12.489 --> 37:14.600 army work fighting concept is part of 37:14.600 --> 37:16.711 the joint war fighting concept . So I 37:16.711 --> 37:18.822 will tell you that everything that we 37:18.822 --> 37:20.878 did that we took in mind . Was about 37:20.878 --> 37:22.933 how our army is gonna operate within 37:22.933 --> 37:25.155 the joint force and looking around . So 37:25.155 --> 37:27.378 again , in my view what we're not doing 37:27.378 --> 37:29.489 is impacting anything . I think we're 37:29.489 --> 37:31.544 gonna be much more lethal to provide 37:31.544 --> 37:33.711 for the joint force there might be one 37:33.711 --> 37:35.767 example of a system , but overall we 37:35.767 --> 37:37.780 are gonna be much better , um , 37:37.889 --> 37:40.000 prepared for for the future . I , I'm 37:40.000 --> 37:42.222 over time a quick last question General 37:42.222 --> 37:44.111 has the army been directed by the 37:44.111 --> 37:46.167 Secretary of Defense to withdraw any 37:46.167 --> 37:50.120 army echelon from Europe ? Not 37:50.120 --> 37:52.231 that I'm aware of . Great , thank you 37:52.231 --> 37:54.287 both . Thank you , Mr . Chairman . I 37:54.287 --> 37:56.398 apologize for going over time . Thank 37:56.398 --> 37:59.520 you , Mr . Chairman . Secretary 37:59.520 --> 38:03.000 Driscoll , General George , welcome . 38:03.120 --> 38:06.919 We're glad to have you here today . The 38:06.919 --> 38:10.280 army , I have always had a special 38:10.280 --> 38:13.929 appreciation for because my father was 38:13.929 --> 38:16.760 a World War II combat veteran who was 38:16.760 --> 38:19.239 wounded twice in the Battle of the 38:19.239 --> 38:22.040 Bulge . Recently with some of my 38:22.040 --> 38:24.969 colleagues , I had the opportunity to 38:24.969 --> 38:28.639 attend the 80th commemoration of 38:28.639 --> 38:31.239 that historic battle . It was very 38:31.239 --> 38:34.320 moving . The army's 38:34.320 --> 38:37.679 250th birthday parade was 38:37.679 --> 38:41.639 also a cause for commemoration and 38:41.639 --> 38:45.550 celebration , and during that parade , 38:46.479 --> 38:50.239 There was the public unveiling of the 38:50.239 --> 38:53.909 ripsa robotic combat vehicle . 38:55.590 --> 38:59.469 This vehicle is built in Waterboro , 38:59.540 --> 39:03.429 Maine by a very small innovative 39:03.719 --> 39:07.070 brilliant firm , the kind of company 39:07.070 --> 39:10.629 that we need more of in our industrial 39:10.629 --> 39:14.260 base so that we are not so dependent 39:14.590 --> 39:18.310 on just some prime contractors and a 39:18.310 --> 39:22.030 few smaller firms that are in the 39:22.030 --> 39:25.729 uh supply base . Supply chain , 39:25.840 --> 39:28.449 it's more than a few I realize , but . 39:29.570 --> 39:32.350 We need more firms that are actually 39:32.350 --> 39:35.790 producing what the army needs . It's 39:35.790 --> 39:39.500 very interesting to read a report 39:39.909 --> 39:43.659 on the uh uh ripsa vehicle . 39:44.570 --> 39:48.020 It is described by this reporter 39:48.310 --> 39:50.590 as signaling a clear step forward in 39:50.590 --> 39:52.989 the US Army's path toward next 39:52.989 --> 39:56.540 generation warfare dominated by robotic 39:56.629 --> 40:00.219 and unmanned systems . It goes 40:00.219 --> 40:03.659 on to say this vehicle is not only the 40:03.659 --> 40:06.300 product of innovation but also a 40:06.300 --> 40:10.290 testament to mature program execution 40:10.780 --> 40:14.209 combining robust industrial support 40:14.209 --> 40:17.500 with real world deployment readiness . 40:17.580 --> 40:20.860 It is ideal for modern battlefields 40:20.860 --> 40:24.840 where surprise . Speed and stealth 40:24.840 --> 40:28.760 define success , so they 40:28.760 --> 40:32.030 go on to say that it marked a tangible 40:32.030 --> 40:35.080 shift in the army's commitment to 40:35.080 --> 40:39.030 embracing unmanned ground combat 40:39.030 --> 40:42.709 capacities as a core component 40:42.709 --> 40:45.030 of future warfare . 40:46.159 --> 40:48.239 I've reviewed the classified 40:48.239 --> 40:51.590 assessments of robotic on robotic 40:51.590 --> 40:54.239 engagements , and I understand the 40:54.239 --> 40:57.000 threat landscape posed by drones and 40:57.000 --> 41:01.000 autonomous platforms . Yet the army 41:01.000 --> 41:04.179 remains behind in building 41:04.429 --> 41:07.169 robotic and autonomous 41:07.870 --> 41:11.760 systems , and this is why we were so 41:11.760 --> 41:15.189 excited when the robotic combat 41:15.189 --> 41:19.030 vehicle was selected when it won a . 41:19.205 --> 41:23.044 Sound select over large primes over 41:23.044 --> 41:26.975 other companies because it is the one 41:26.975 --> 41:30.725 funded program that shows real promise 41:30.725 --> 41:32.895 and it could have served as a 41:32.895 --> 41:36.334 foundation for future innovation and 41:36.334 --> 41:38.965 it's ready to go today . 41:39.870 --> 41:43.760 Mr . Secretary , how does walking away 41:44.129 --> 41:46.679 from years of development 41:47.530 --> 41:50.889 specifically designed to integrate with 41:50.889 --> 41:54.810 the other army platforms put the army 41:54.810 --> 41:57.969 on a credible path to innovation . 41:58.459 --> 42:02.330 And when exactly where will our 42:02.330 --> 42:05.780 soldiers deploy with robotic systems 42:06.090 --> 42:09.649 that not only enhance lethality and 42:09.649 --> 42:13.530 support counter UAS operations but 42:13.530 --> 42:16.850 protect what we value most our 42:16.850 --> 42:20.780 soldiers' lives . Um , Senator , I , 42:20.860 --> 42:23.082 I think , I believe , and I was writing 42:23.082 --> 42:25.138 the note to make sure , um , I think 42:25.138 --> 42:27.360 that , uh , how and how was acquired by 42:27.360 --> 42:29.360 Textron . And so before I make this 42:29.360 --> 42:31.693 comment I want to disclaim , um , so we , 42:31.693 --> 42:33.693 we met with that leadership team to 42:33.693 --> 42:33.320 talk about this and just from a high 42:33.320 --> 42:35.860 level any business so far or the the 42:35.870 --> 42:38.092 the vast majority that have reached out 42:38.092 --> 42:40.639 to us when a decision has uh caused 42:40.639 --> 42:42.806 them harm , we are trying to help them 42:42.806 --> 42:44.972 bridge to what the army needs and so I 42:44.972 --> 42:47.028 just very publicly want to state the 42:47.028 --> 42:49.083 defense industrial base is weak . We 42:49.083 --> 42:51.250 need to grow it and we're trying to be 42:51.250 --> 42:53.472 thoughtful in this then specifically to 42:53.472 --> 42:55.695 your question . Um , the robotic combat 42:55.695 --> 42:55.580 vehicle that was demonstrated in the 42:55.580 --> 42:57.820 parade is an incredible piece of 42:57.820 --> 42:59.931 engineering , um , capability . The , 42:59.931 --> 43:02.153 the fundamental problem is what General 43:02.153 --> 43:04.376 George was referencing the cost curve . 43:04.376 --> 43:06.620 So an $800 drone with a very cheap 43:06.620 --> 43:09.060 munition can take out a $3 million 43:09.060 --> 43:11.899 piece of equipment endlessly . And what 43:11.899 --> 43:14.121 we , the United States Army , have done 43:14.121 --> 43:16.288 very poorly in the last 30 or 40 years 43:16.288 --> 43:18.510 is we keep building exquisite pieces of 43:18.510 --> 43:20.677 equipment . That we cannot even as one 43:20.677 --> 43:22.510 of the wealthiest nations in the 43:22.510 --> 43:24.621 history of the world sustain at scale 43:24.621 --> 43:26.843 and so unfortunately what happened with 43:26.843 --> 43:28.899 the RCV is it is the classic case of 43:28.899 --> 43:30.770 the army doing a very bad job to 43:30.770 --> 43:32.881 ourselves . We came out with too many 43:32.881 --> 43:34.937 requirements . It took too long . By 43:34.937 --> 43:36.770 the time it was built it was too 43:36.770 --> 43:38.937 expensive . When we contrast that with 43:38.937 --> 43:41.048 the things that are working , as long 43:41.048 --> 43:43.326 as the vehicle or the the the the tool . 43:43.459 --> 43:45.550 Or the asset can be driven by wire . 43:45.780 --> 43:47.891 There are a lot of software companies 43:47.891 --> 43:50.002 now that can basically take , like we 43:50.002 --> 43:52.113 had one take our an existing Humvee . 43:52.113 --> 43:54.002 We had to take our infantry squad 43:54.002 --> 43:56.224 vehicle and in 10 days they can make it 43:56.224 --> 43:58.391 autonomous and that's the type of cost 43:58.391 --> 44:00.447 curve we can afford is to go out and 44:00.447 --> 44:02.391 find things that are already being 44:02.391 --> 44:04.447 purchased by consumers and translate 44:04.447 --> 44:06.613 them over to military cases and so for 44:06.613 --> 44:08.669 the . vast majority of the things we 44:08.669 --> 44:10.113 need to purchase today to 44:10.113 --> 44:12.113 counterbalance all of the exquisite 44:12.113 --> 44:14.336 things we've purchased in the past , we 44:14.336 --> 44:15.891 have got to be buying cheap 44:15.891 --> 44:17.870 attributable , um , uh , scalable 44:17.870 --> 44:20.092 solutions and unfortunately for the RCV 44:20.092 --> 44:22.259 it's just not one of them . Well , two 44:22.259 --> 44:24.570 comments back to you on that . One , 44:24.830 --> 44:28.550 it's the height of irony that you would 44:28.550 --> 44:32.310 feature . This combat vehicle in 44:32.310 --> 44:35.929 your parade as the future of the 44:35.929 --> 44:38.530 army at the same time that you've 44:38.530 --> 44:41.649 canceled the contract . The 44:41.649 --> 44:44.520 cancellation of a contract that was won 44:44.889 --> 44:48.290 over a lot of other competitors . 44:48.649 --> 44:52.449 Second , this is equipped with the 44:52.449 --> 44:56.239 anti-drone technology . And third , 44:56.409 --> 44:58.959 drones plays drones . 45:00.169 --> 45:03.919 Are a threat to all sorts of vehicles . 45:04.159 --> 45:07.120 This one is autonomous . You're not 45:07.120 --> 45:10.840 gonna lose a soldier's life if it's 45:10.840 --> 45:14.550 taken out . I think you should review 45:14.550 --> 45:18.030 this decision . I think it was terribly 45:18.280 --> 45:21.169 unfair and a real mistake . Thank you , 45:21.179 --> 45:22.179 Mr . Chair . 45:25.370 --> 45:27.719 Darwin , thank you , Mr . Chairman and 45:27.719 --> 45:29.886 thank you , Mr . Secretary and General 45:29.886 --> 45:32.052 George . Thank you for being here . It 45:32.052 --> 45:34.052 was over a little over 75 years ago 45:34.052 --> 45:36.439 when President Harry Truman , uh , made 45:36.439 --> 45:38.439 the decision that the United States 45:38.439 --> 45:40.606 would be the first nation in the world 45:40.606 --> 45:42.717 to recognize the creation of Israel . 45:42.717 --> 45:44.939 Uh , it was a moment of great pride and 45:44.939 --> 45:47.050 one that has led to an alliance which 45:47.050 --> 45:49.479 endures to this day , and I wanna ask 45:49.479 --> 45:51.312 you a question or two about that 45:51.312 --> 45:53.479 alliance . Currently Israel is engaged 45:53.479 --> 45:56.780 in conflict in Gaza . Uh , with Hamas , 45:57.149 --> 46:00.510 but , um , more recently in Iran , and 46:00.510 --> 46:02.790 my question is what is the role of the 46:02.790 --> 46:05.270 United States as this war unfolds 46:05.270 --> 46:07.750 between Israel and Iran . The reason I 46:07.750 --> 46:09.917 think the question is relevant is that 46:09.917 --> 46:12.989 there's uh been some inquiry of the 46:12.989 --> 46:15.100 White House of what the president has 46:15.100 --> 46:17.156 meant by recent statements when he's 46:17.156 --> 46:20.989 referred to we in reference to Israel's 46:20.989 --> 46:24.080 role there . For example , the fact 46:24.080 --> 46:26.850 that uh the statement was made that the 46:26.850 --> 46:29.560 skies are safe now , uh , we , uh , 46:29.570 --> 46:32.409 accomplished that and such , uh , leads 46:32.409 --> 46:34.679 the leads to the obvious question what 46:34.679 --> 46:37.649 is to be our future involvement in the 46:37.649 --> 46:40.270 Israeli-Iran conflict ? Can you tell us , 46:40.290 --> 46:43.219 Mr . Secretary or General George ? Has 46:43.219 --> 46:45.659 there been any efforts made or uh 46:45.659 --> 46:47.899 changes made in terms of positioning , 46:48.260 --> 46:50.669 troops , equipment , or other resources 46:50.669 --> 46:52.947 in anticipation of an invasion of Iran ? 46:56.110 --> 46:58.810 I , I can just tell you , um , Senator , 46:58.860 --> 47:00.971 for , you know , what we're doing for 47:00.971 --> 47:03.193 the army , what our job is to make sure 47:03.193 --> 47:05.249 that we have forces that are forward 47:05.249 --> 47:07.620 for , um , General Corella and the CEOM 47:07.620 --> 47:09.731 team , make sure that we're doing our 47:09.731 --> 47:11.842 part to protect , um , it's kind of a 47:11.842 --> 47:13.787 little bit to the earlier question 47:13.787 --> 47:16.020 about counter UAS , um , integrated air 47:16.020 --> 47:18.300 and missile defense , and so we have 47:18.300 --> 47:20.467 sent for , you know , forces forward . 47:20.790 --> 47:22.979 Um , to make sure that we are postured 47:22.979 --> 47:24.868 around the region to , you know , 47:24.868 --> 47:27.090 defend our , our interests over there . 47:27.570 --> 47:29.370 And has that decision been made 47:29.370 --> 47:32.510 recently ? I think we've had uh a lot 47:32.510 --> 47:35.510 of that has been over there , um , and 47:35.510 --> 47:37.677 again , you know , we have provided um 47:37.677 --> 47:39.843 some additional capability over to the 47:39.843 --> 47:42.510 region , um , to make sure that again 47:42.510 --> 47:44.621 we are providing , you know , we have 47:44.621 --> 47:47.520 the defense we can defend um our 47:47.520 --> 47:49.631 interest over there , our troops that 47:49.631 --> 47:51.576 are over there . Is it a matter of 47:51.576 --> 47:53.742 weeks or months since the decision was 47:53.742 --> 47:57.540 made to upgrade our position ? I 47:57.540 --> 47:59.707 think Senator , we , we are constantly 47:59.707 --> 48:02.310 evaluating our position when we're , 48:02.459 --> 48:04.737 you know , over in different locations . 48:04.737 --> 48:07.379 I mean we have moved uh stuff uh around 48:07.379 --> 48:09.899 again what our job is in the army to 48:09.899 --> 48:11.899 make sure that we have , you know , 48:11.899 --> 48:14.010 trained and ready forces to make sure 48:14.010 --> 48:16.177 that we're providing them , you know , 48:16.177 --> 48:18.177 forward , um , you know , for , you 48:18.177 --> 48:20.343 know , for placement . There are , you 48:20.343 --> 48:22.455 know , I'm , I know , I'm sure that , 48:22.455 --> 48:25.179 uh , you know what CEO will do is move 48:25.469 --> 48:27.636 the different assets that we have over 48:27.636 --> 48:29.691 there and , and take just like I did 48:29.691 --> 48:31.691 when I was in a combat , you know , 48:31.691 --> 48:33.913 situation where I would move and adjust 48:33.989 --> 48:36.211 what I had for , for structure that was 48:36.211 --> 48:38.350 over there , um , and I'm sure that's 48:38.350 --> 48:40.461 happening as well . Could you give me 48:40.461 --> 48:42.294 some indication , Mr . Secretary 48:42.294 --> 48:44.520 General as to the , the number of 48:44.520 --> 48:46.659 troops we're talking about in this 48:46.659 --> 48:50.520 upgraded situation ? Uh , 48:51.219 --> 48:53.275 go ahead . I don't have that we , we 48:53.275 --> 48:55.386 can follow back up with your office , 48:55.386 --> 48:57.719 Senator . Uh , as a general matter , um , 48:57.719 --> 48:59.830 we , we generally do not talk about , 48:59.830 --> 49:01.941 um , troop movements and , um , where 49:01.941 --> 49:03.941 we are placing soldiers , but we're 49:03.941 --> 49:06.052 happy to , especially in a classified 49:06.052 --> 49:05.340 environment , to show you everything 49:05.340 --> 49:08.129 you wanna say . And are we referring to 49:08.129 --> 49:10.939 Middle Eastern theater as in terms of 49:10.939 --> 49:13.189 the position of these resources ? 49:16.060 --> 49:18.889 I think we have resources around the 49:18.889 --> 49:21.056 world . We certainly have resources in 49:21.056 --> 49:24.090 the Um , in the CEO in the Middle East 49:24.389 --> 49:27.020 area of responsibility and just very 49:27.020 --> 49:28.631 like broadly , we are , um , 49:28.649 --> 49:30.816 hyperfocused on providing our soldiers 49:30.816 --> 49:32.871 around the world safety and with the 49:32.871 --> 49:34.982 events of the last um couple of weeks 49:34.982 --> 49:37.350 or a week , um , we , we are talking 49:37.350 --> 49:40.050 about it actively . Let me ask you a 49:40.050 --> 49:42.290 quick question to follow up . Uh , the 49:42.290 --> 49:44.729 chairman asked about depots and their 49:44.729 --> 49:46.840 future . I of course have an interest 49:46.840 --> 49:49.290 in an arsenal , uh , and I , I'd just 49:49.290 --> 49:51.512 like to make a plea , uh , that the men 49:51.512 --> 49:53.568 and women of the Rock Island arsenal 49:53.568 --> 49:55.790 have responded when asked over and over 49:55.790 --> 49:58.409 again when it came to up armoring 49:58.409 --> 50:01.919 Humvees in the early stages of the war 50:01.919 --> 50:04.610 in Iraq . They were there even before 50:04.610 --> 50:07.020 the private sector could respond . And 50:07.020 --> 50:09.219 I hope as you move forward you will 50:09.699 --> 50:11.810 turn to their expertise and give them 50:11.810 --> 50:14.032 an opportunity to bid into some of this 50:14.032 --> 50:16.143 work to save us money and to continue 50:16.143 --> 50:18.366 to make us the strongest defense in the 50:18.366 --> 50:20.421 world . I hope . And Senator , I , I 50:20.421 --> 50:22.366 think we're gonna be going to Rock 50:22.366 --> 50:24.588 Island together soon . I haven't gotten 50:24.588 --> 50:24.459 a chance to visit it . General George 50:24.459 --> 50:26.570 and everyone I've heard has said it's 50:26.570 --> 50:28.403 an amazing place , and so I look 50:28.403 --> 50:30.570 forward to seeing it with you . That's 50:30.570 --> 50:34.080 a great idea . Thanks a lot . Senator 50:34.080 --> 50:36.370 Graham , followed by Senator Baldwin 50:36.370 --> 50:38.314 and then Senator Mur . All right , 50:39.729 --> 50:41.840 thank you both . Good morning . Thank 50:41.840 --> 50:43.896 you both . Uh , the FY25 Army budget 50:43.896 --> 50:46.790 was $185.9 billion . 50:47.600 --> 50:49.656 Uh , the secretary , that's a lot of 50:49.656 --> 50:53.300 money , right ? It is , yeah , well , I 50:53.300 --> 50:55.467 think we need more and I think most of 50:55.467 --> 50:57.719 us up here understand that budgets need 50:57.719 --> 51:01.199 to be based , uh , on threats . So 51:01.199 --> 51:03.255 let's walk through the threat matrix 51:03.255 --> 51:05.421 real quick to Americans see if we need 51:05.421 --> 51:07.439 more spending on the military less 51:07.439 --> 51:09.949 Putin . Uh , is there any indication , 51:09.959 --> 51:11.959 General , that Putin's , uh , gonna 51:11.959 --> 51:14.550 stop , uh , his , uh , effort to 51:14.550 --> 51:16.639 dismember Ukraine anytime soon ? 51:19.010 --> 51:21.232 Well , it's , I mean , it's hard for me 51:21.232 --> 51:23.454 to predict anything , but I would say , 51:23.454 --> 51:25.621 um , well right now last night was the 51:25.621 --> 51:27.788 biggest attack on Kiev and they killed 51:27.788 --> 51:29.969 an American citizen . So as of last 51:29.969 --> 51:32.080 night , he doesn't seem to be willing 51:32.080 --> 51:34.358 to stop , does he ? Yes , you're right , 51:34.358 --> 51:36.302 Senator . Yeah , I hadn't seen any 51:36.302 --> 51:38.302 intel . I mean , is anybody up here 51:38.302 --> 51:40.580 think that he's slowing down ? I don't . 51:40.580 --> 51:43.479 So we spent a lot of , uh , of our 51:43.479 --> 51:46.120 ordinance and , and military equipment 51:46.120 --> 51:48.120 to help Ukraine , right , uh , Mr . 51:48.120 --> 51:50.570 Secretary . We did . And the reason 51:50.570 --> 51:52.681 we're doing that so that we don't get 51:52.681 --> 51:54.969 in a war with Putin , you know , if he 51:54.969 --> 51:57.136 gets to , to NATO country , we're in a 51:57.136 --> 51:59.302 war with Russia , right ? We're trying 51:59.302 --> 52:03.199 to stop him now . I , I , I 52:03.199 --> 52:05.532 believe that was the theory of the case . 52:05.532 --> 52:07.755 Yeah , well , that's the good theory of 52:07.755 --> 52:09.810 the case . So if Putin's not slowing 52:09.810 --> 52:11.699 down , seems to me we're gonna be 52:11.699 --> 52:14.879 needing to help Ukraine more and be 52:14.879 --> 52:17.750 sending a deterrent message to Putin . 52:17.879 --> 52:21.719 uh , uh , let's go to Iran as a 52:21.719 --> 52:24.040 threat metrics . How would you rate 52:24.040 --> 52:26.350 Iran's threat to the United States , 52:27.120 --> 52:31.080 General George ? I , I 52:31.080 --> 52:34.389 would , uh . Bate the threat is more 52:34.389 --> 52:36.760 um you know there's a couple of 52:36.760 --> 52:38.719 regional , um , I think it's the 52:38.719 --> 52:40.830 biggest to our interests that are out 52:41.360 --> 52:43.471 um in the Middle East , um , with the 52:43.471 --> 52:45.804 troop concentrations that we have there , 52:45.804 --> 52:48.138 other interests and partners and allies . 52:48.138 --> 52:50.360 Do you know what November the 4th is in 52:50.360 --> 52:53.149 Iran ? Do you know it's Death to 52:53.149 --> 52:56.469 America Day . In 1987 , 52:56.830 --> 52:59.550 Iran made November the 4th Death to 52:59.550 --> 53:01.830 America Day . That's a hint what they 53:01.830 --> 53:04.149 think about us . Do you believe , uh , 53:04.229 --> 53:06.510 Mr . Secretary , that President Trump 53:06.510 --> 53:10.479 is right to say no nukes for Iran ? I 53:10.479 --> 53:12.646 totally support the president . Do you 53:12.646 --> 53:14.757 believe Iran would use a nuke if they 53:14.757 --> 53:17.360 had it against Israel and maybe us ? Uh , 53:17.489 --> 53:19.545 it's hard to answer a hypothetical . 53:19.545 --> 53:21.822 Why is it hard to answer ? They say it . 53:22.010 --> 53:24.121 They write death to Israel , death to 53:24.121 --> 53:26.121 America on the missile . That's not 53:26.121 --> 53:28.409 hard . They have 900 pounds of highly 53:28.409 --> 53:31.290 enriched uranium at 60% . What 53:31.290 --> 53:33.457 commercial purpose is there for highly 53:33.457 --> 53:34.901 enriched uranium at 60% ? 53:37.689 --> 53:40.379 I'll answer it for you 0 . They got 53:40.379 --> 53:43.090 enough highly unused uranium at 60% to 53:43.090 --> 53:45.570 make a bunch of bombs . Uh , why do 53:45.570 --> 53:48.080 they have , uh , one of their , uh , 53:48.120 --> 53:50.287 enrichment programs at the bottom of a 53:50.287 --> 53:54.050 mountain ? Do you know ? I , I 53:54.050 --> 53:56.290 would hypothesize for security . Yeah , 53:56.370 --> 53:58.481 I would hypothesize that they want to 53:58.481 --> 54:00.729 enrich and make sure they're safe in 54:00.729 --> 54:03.250 doing it . So let's stop playing this 54:03.250 --> 54:06.530 game that Iran is like an 54:06.530 --> 54:10.090 uncertain enemy . They say it , they 54:10.090 --> 54:11.923 mean it , they're gonna do it if 54:11.923 --> 54:13.979 somebody doesn't stop them . uh , do 54:13.979 --> 54:15.979 you agree that we're in the land of 54:15.979 --> 54:18.034 force now , General George , when it 54:18.034 --> 54:20.030 comes to stopping Iran's nuclear 54:20.030 --> 54:22.659 ambitions ? Can you repeat that 54:22.659 --> 54:24.881 question again ? Do you believe that it 54:24.881 --> 54:26.715 seems to be that the only option 54:26.715 --> 54:28.603 available to us now to stop their 54:28.603 --> 54:32.050 nuclear ambitions is force . Um , I 54:32.050 --> 54:33.994 don't know . I know that they're , 54:33.994 --> 54:36.106 they're still reaching to make sure I 54:36.106 --> 54:38.260 do . OK , well , I mean , seems to me 54:38.260 --> 54:41.300 diplomacy for 60 days . One , Mr . 54:41.419 --> 54:43.586 President , thank you for reaching out 54:43.586 --> 54:45.808 to Iran . Thank you for reaching out to 54:45.808 --> 54:48.030 Russia . Thank you for trying to find a 54:48.030 --> 54:50.197 peaceful solution , but it seems to me 54:50.197 --> 54:52.252 that we're full on engaged , uh . At 54:52.252 --> 54:54.419 least Israel to take down their , um , 54:54.419 --> 54:56.419 their nuclear program by force . Is 54:56.419 --> 54:58.419 that a fair statement that Israel's 54:58.419 --> 55:00.530 made a decision to take their nuclear 55:00.530 --> 55:02.530 program down by force ? I , I think 55:02.530 --> 55:04.808 that's obvious . Yeah , I think so too . 55:04.808 --> 55:07.030 And do you agree with President Trump's 55:07.030 --> 55:09.252 decision that a nuclear armed Iran is a 55:09.252 --> 55:12.219 threat to us ? Again , I think the 55:12.219 --> 55:14.386 president's been clear that he doesn't 55:14.386 --> 55:16.552 want Iran . I mean , do you agree with 55:16.552 --> 55:18.775 that ? Do you think it's a threat to us 55:18.775 --> 55:20.997 that we don't want Iran to have nuclear 55:20.997 --> 55:23.219 weapons ? Yes , I do . I don't think we 55:23.219 --> 55:22.939 do . I don't think we do for a lot of 55:22.939 --> 55:25.100 reasons . China , do you think China 55:25.100 --> 55:28.659 will take our , uh , Taiwan by force if 55:28.659 --> 55:31.219 America and the West seems weak in the 55:31.219 --> 55:35.139 eyes of China ? I think 55:35.139 --> 55:37.250 deterrence is is incredibly important 55:37.250 --> 55:39.361 and making sure that you think we may 55:39.361 --> 55:41.083 have lost deterrence after our 55:41.083 --> 55:43.028 withdrawal from Afghanistan , Mr . 55:43.028 --> 55:46.270 Secretary . I , I think that the 55:46.270 --> 55:48.381 withdrawal , absolutely , I think , I 55:48.381 --> 55:50.603 think we have we need to regain it . Do 55:50.603 --> 55:52.659 you think ISIS and Al Qaeda is still 55:52.659 --> 55:54.770 out there trying to find ways to kill 55:54.770 --> 55:57.103 us here at home , General George ? I do , 55:57.120 --> 55:59.287 I do think that , so the threat matrix 55:59.287 --> 56:01.398 is about as large as I can remember . 56:01.850 --> 56:04.017 So those who are wondering , should we 56:04.017 --> 56:06.294 spend more in the military , we should . 56:06.294 --> 56:08.406 And the goal is to spend money in the 56:08.406 --> 56:10.461 military to prevent war , but if you 56:10.461 --> 56:12.794 get in one to win it . So last question , 56:12.794 --> 56:14.794 the Ayatollah said today that if we 56:14.794 --> 56:18.000 help Israel destroy , uh , their , uh , 56:18.030 --> 56:20.086 nuclear program , and he's not gonna 56:20.086 --> 56:22.252 give it up , he said that today , uh , 56:22.252 --> 56:24.308 they'd be all out war with America . 56:24.308 --> 56:28.169 Did you hear that today ? Yes , I 56:28.169 --> 56:31.679 did . OK . So , are you confident 56:31.889 --> 56:34.689 that America has the ability , Nobody 56:34.689 --> 56:36.578 wants a war , but if we got in an 56:36.578 --> 56:38.745 all-out war with Iran , we would win . 56:40.610 --> 56:43.030 I , I think we're confident for 250 56:43.030 --> 56:45.252 years in the United States Army . I , I 56:45.252 --> 56:47.308 do too . My money's on the army . My 56:47.308 --> 56:49.474 money's on the military . I don't want 56:49.474 --> 56:49.469 a war , but if you pick a fight with us , 56:49.510 --> 56:51.621 you're gonna lose . To our friends in 56:51.621 --> 56:53.843 Israel , keep it up . We got you back . 56:53.843 --> 56:55.566 Taking that program down is an 56:55.566 --> 56:57.979 existential threat to Israel and to us . 56:58.030 --> 57:00.086 This is a moment of choosing for the 57:00.086 --> 57:02.830 world . I hope everybody understands 57:02.830 --> 57:04.830 that if they get a nuclear . Weapon 57:04.830 --> 57:06.886 they're religious fanatics , they're 57:06.886 --> 57:08.997 religious Nazis they would use it . I 57:08.997 --> 57:11.219 don't believe that about Rocket Man . I 57:11.219 --> 57:10.764 don't believe it about Putin . I don't 57:10.764 --> 57:12.931 believe it about China , but I believe 57:12.931 --> 57:14.875 it about these folks and this is a 57:14.875 --> 57:17.042 moment of choosing , and we better get 57:17.042 --> 57:19.208 this right . And if you get it right , 57:19.208 --> 57:21.264 normalization is back on the table . 57:21.264 --> 57:23.375 China's less likely to go to Taiwan , 57:23.375 --> 57:25.431 and Putin will be , we'll have a new 57:25.431 --> 57:24.794 conversation with him . If we get it 57:24.794 --> 57:26.961 wrong , the world's gonna blow up even 57:26.961 --> 57:29.238 worse than it is today . God bless you . 57:29.238 --> 57:30.405 God bless the army . 57:33.080 --> 57:36.649 Senator Baldwin's called uh 57:36.649 --> 57:39.909 next uh Senator Moran . Thank you Mr . 57:39.919 --> 57:41.752 Chairman . I wanna talk about uh 57:41.752 --> 57:44.189 readiness , um , Secretary Driscoll and 57:44.189 --> 57:46.245 General George um thank you for your 57:46.245 --> 57:48.550 service . Thank you for being here um I 57:48.550 --> 57:50.717 wanna make sure that you know about my 57:50.717 --> 57:53.100 priority of expanding health care 57:53.100 --> 57:55.739 options for reserve and guard members . 57:56.070 --> 57:57.792 The National Guard is seeing a 57:57.792 --> 58:00.610 tremendous uptick in mobilization rates 58:00.949 --> 58:03.510 and improved access to health insurance 58:03.510 --> 58:06.590 would help support soldiers' medical 58:06.590 --> 58:09.610 readiness . I worked with the previous 58:09.610 --> 58:11.554 chief of the National Guard Bureau 58:11.554 --> 58:13.929 General Holkinson on developing a bill 58:13.929 --> 58:16.959 called the Health Care for our Troops 58:16.959 --> 58:20.250 uh Act that would provide premium free 58:20.250 --> 58:22.417 health insurance to all members of the 58:22.417 --> 58:24.929 reserve components . Will both of you 58:24.929 --> 58:26.540 commit to working with me on 58:26.540 --> 58:29.760 identifying ways to improve Tricare 58:29.760 --> 58:31.889 access for guard members and reserve 58:31.889 --> 58:34.969 members . Uh , I would be honored to 58:34.969 --> 58:36.747 work with your office on that . 58:37.189 --> 58:39.411 Certainly we'll work with you senator . 58:39.411 --> 58:41.620 Thank you . Now I think uh both of you 58:41.620 --> 58:43.842 would agree with me that in addition to 58:43.842 --> 58:45.898 soldier readiness , the readiness of 58:45.898 --> 58:48.780 the industrial base is essential to our 58:48.780 --> 58:51.260 national security . um I wanna thank 58:51.260 --> 58:53.419 you both for calling me back in April 58:53.419 --> 58:56.979 to share a broad outline of your plans 58:56.979 --> 58:59.580 for the Army Transformation initiative . 59:00.639 --> 59:03.159 Secretary Driscoll , I am interested in 59:03.159 --> 59:05.360 hearing further details from you as 59:05.360 --> 59:07.560 you've heard from my colleagues about 59:07.560 --> 59:10.040 how this initiative and the subsequent 59:10.040 --> 59:12.350 cancellation of certain vehicle 59:12.350 --> 59:14.840 programs will impact our defense 59:14.840 --> 59:18.080 industrial base . Both the Humvee and 59:18.080 --> 59:22.040 JLTV platforms have an extensive 59:22.040 --> 59:24.760 networks of small businesses that 59:24.760 --> 59:27.760 supply components . That ultimately 59:27.760 --> 59:30.209 land in these vehicles . So Mr . 59:30.219 --> 59:32.275 Secretary , in your assessment , how 59:32.275 --> 59:34.860 will the supply base respond to the 59:34.860 --> 59:37.459 cancellations of these programs and how 59:37.459 --> 59:40.129 do you plan to preserve supplier 59:40.129 --> 59:43.620 capacity ? Um , sincerely , Senator 59:43.620 --> 59:45.787 George and I are incredibly optimistic 59:45.787 --> 59:47.787 that Army Transformation initiative 59:47.787 --> 59:49.787 will be a renaissance for small and 59:49.787 --> 59:52.009 medium sized businesses , not just . On 59:52.009 --> 59:54.009 the coast in Silicon Valley and the 59:54.009 --> 59:56.009 tech companies , but throughout the 59:56.009 --> 59:57.898 heartlands and um if you can make 59:57.898 --> 59:59.953 something that the army needs and we 59:59.953 --> 01:00:02.120 need a lot in this inflection point in 01:00:02.120 --> 01:00:04.120 warfare , we are gapped in a lot of 01:00:04.120 --> 01:00:06.342 spaces . If you can make things that we 01:00:06.342 --> 01:00:08.287 need , what we are trying to do is 01:00:08.287 --> 01:00:08.120 close the loop on being able to 01:00:08.120 --> 01:00:10.231 purchase those things more quickly so 01:00:10.231 --> 01:00:12.398 that these small and medium businesses 01:00:12.398 --> 01:00:14.231 and the large ones too that make 01:00:14.231 --> 01:00:16.398 investments can get rewarded for those 01:00:16.398 --> 01:00:18.620 investments , I think . The way that we 01:00:18.620 --> 01:00:20.731 are viewing these cuts for the Humvee 01:00:20.731 --> 01:00:22.898 and the JLTV that you referenced is we 01:00:22.898 --> 01:00:25.120 have to do it for our soldiers . I mean 01:00:25.120 --> 01:00:27.459 we , we just are overindexed on these 01:00:27.459 --> 01:00:29.403 types of vehicles that just do not 01:00:29.403 --> 01:00:32.709 provide the mobility um and the uh 01:00:32.709 --> 01:00:34.765 empower our soldiers to be lethal in 01:00:34.765 --> 01:00:36.987 all of the environments we need to be . 01:00:36.987 --> 01:00:36.979 They're too heavy , they're too slow , 01:00:36.989 --> 01:00:39.156 and we have too many of them . For the 01:00:39.156 --> 01:00:41.211 downstream effects on the industrial 01:00:41.211 --> 01:00:43.433 base , we talk about it often . We have 01:00:43.433 --> 01:00:45.545 probably spoken to , I would guess 20 01:00:45.545 --> 01:00:47.840 CEOs at this point trying to empower 01:00:47.840 --> 01:00:50.360 them to get their employees and their 01:00:50.360 --> 01:00:52.527 developers and their manufacturers out 01:00:52.527 --> 01:00:54.527 into the field with our soldiers so 01:00:54.527 --> 01:00:56.638 they can see what is working and what 01:00:56.638 --> 01:00:58.693 is not working and take that back to 01:00:58.693 --> 01:01:00.582 their shop floors to build us the 01:01:00.582 --> 01:01:02.749 things that we need and so um what you 01:01:02.749 --> 01:01:04.971 are referencing I think is probably one 01:01:04.971 --> 01:01:06.971 of the challenges of our lifetime . 01:01:06.971 --> 01:01:09.193 Short on munitions . We're short on our 01:01:09.193 --> 01:01:11.304 anti drone capabilities . We're short 01:01:11.304 --> 01:01:11.294 on a lot of things . What we're not 01:01:11.294 --> 01:01:13.627 short on is American pride , patriotism , 01:01:13.627 --> 01:01:15.461 and innovation , and what we are 01:01:15.461 --> 01:01:17.627 desperately in trying to do as quickly 01:01:17.627 --> 01:01:19.572 as possible is empower those great 01:01:19.572 --> 01:01:21.794 Americans . So in Wisconsin we probably 01:01:21.794 --> 01:01:24.854 have 40 or more suppliers to the two 01:01:24.854 --> 01:01:28.094 canceled , uh , programs , and um I 01:01:28.094 --> 01:01:30.405 very much uh worry about their health , 01:01:30.455 --> 01:01:32.566 but I do have another question that I 01:01:32.566 --> 01:01:34.733 want to slip in here . Um , the Army's 01:01:34.733 --> 01:01:36.850 transformation initiative emphasizes 01:01:36.850 --> 01:01:39.050 the rapid fielding of war fighting 01:01:39.050 --> 01:01:40.717 upgrades and moving away from 01:01:40.717 --> 01:01:43.050 traditional , a traditionally slow 01:01:43.050 --> 01:01:45.383 government developed programs of record . 01:01:45.510 --> 01:01:47.570 In the case of tactical wheeled 01:01:47.570 --> 01:01:49.689 vehicles , I believe that platform 01:01:49.689 --> 01:01:52.290 recapitalization efforts can help 01:01:52.290 --> 01:01:54.512 achieve these goals in a cost effective 01:01:54.512 --> 01:01:56.457 way while still meeting the army's 01:01:56.457 --> 01:01:58.449 mobility and lethality mission 01:01:58.449 --> 01:02:00.570 requirements . Mr . Secretary , I'd 01:02:00.570 --> 01:02:02.570 like to know if you've assessed the 01:02:02.570 --> 01:02:05.610 Army's planned common tactical truck 01:02:05.610 --> 01:02:08.120 program against your stated goals . 01:02:08.129 --> 01:02:10.120 Additionally , have you evaluated 01:02:10.120 --> 01:02:11.879 whether a more straightforward 01:02:11.879 --> 01:02:15.000 recapitalization of the family of heavy 01:02:15.000 --> 01:02:18.129 tactical wheeled vehicles would be a 01:02:18.129 --> 01:02:20.639 better way to accelerate technology 01:02:20.639 --> 01:02:23.439 enhancements to troops , save money . 01:02:23.604 --> 01:02:26.155 And avoid creating a new program with 01:02:26.155 --> 01:02:28.266 new maintenance challenges . Have you 01:02:28.266 --> 01:02:30.475 made that evaluation ? We're actively 01:02:30.475 --> 01:02:32.419 in the process , Senator , for for 01:02:32.419 --> 01:02:34.586 those larger heavier vehicles , one of 01:02:34.586 --> 01:02:36.955 the things that is so exciting about 01:02:36.955 --> 01:02:38.622 what is occurring in software 01:02:38.622 --> 01:02:40.788 development . Um , we , we worked with 01:02:40.788 --> 01:02:43.122 a company called Applied Intuition , um , 01:02:43.122 --> 01:02:45.011 and basically this was what I was 01:02:45.011 --> 01:02:47.288 referencing earlier to your colleagues . 01:02:47.288 --> 01:02:49.399 As long as the vehicles drive by wire 01:02:49.399 --> 01:02:49.090 we can do all sorts of things to 01:02:49.090 --> 01:02:51.610 upgrade existing vehicles , um , that 01:02:51.610 --> 01:02:53.721 the Army already has , and we want to 01:02:53.721 --> 01:02:55.832 be , uh , good stewards of the assets 01:02:55.832 --> 01:02:57.943 that we've been given . And so we are 01:02:57.943 --> 01:03:00.110 looking across all of our platforms to 01:03:00.110 --> 01:03:02.277 figure out what can we upgrade that we 01:03:02.277 --> 01:03:04.110 already have in the cheapest way 01:03:04.110 --> 01:03:06.166 possible to help um provide soldiers 01:03:06.166 --> 01:03:08.332 additional capabilities and safety and 01:03:08.332 --> 01:03:10.332 lethality . And so , um , but as we 01:03:10.332 --> 01:03:12.443 continue to go through this process , 01:03:12.443 --> 01:03:12.219 we'd be happy to come to your office 01:03:12.219 --> 01:03:13.719 and talk to you about it . 01:03:16.520 --> 01:03:18.790 Senator Moran , then Senator Kennedy , 01:03:18.919 --> 01:03:21.810 Senator Boseman , Senator Capito . Mr . 01:03:21.820 --> 01:03:24.042 Chairman , thank you , um , Secretary , 01:03:24.169 --> 01:03:27.669 uh , general . Uh , in my view , the , 01:03:27.840 --> 01:03:29.919 my , my , my view of the Army 01:03:29.919 --> 01:03:32.086 transition , transformation initiative 01:03:32.600 --> 01:03:35.909 is undetermined . I don't think we know 01:03:35.909 --> 01:03:37.989 enough as to whether we can say we 01:03:37.989 --> 01:03:39.933 agree with you . The things you've 01:03:39.933 --> 01:03:42.379 outlined today and in the past , uh , 01:03:42.389 --> 01:03:44.333 are certainly things that matter , 01:03:44.333 --> 01:03:46.333 getting us in a supply chain , uh , 01:03:46.333 --> 01:03:48.222 circumstance in which we can meet 01:03:48.222 --> 01:03:49.778 today's needs using today's 01:03:49.778 --> 01:03:51.889 technologies . Uh , one of the things 01:03:51.889 --> 01:03:54.090 that when troubles me is that we don't 01:03:54.090 --> 01:03:56.669 yet know how you are going to spend the 01:03:56.669 --> 01:03:58.979 money that we we've been talking among 01:03:59.429 --> 01:04:01.429 my colleagues at least this morning 01:04:01.429 --> 01:04:03.151 been talking about things that 01:04:03.151 --> 01:04:05.262 apparently may not be , uh , funded . 01:04:05.262 --> 01:04:07.429 But we don't yet know how you're going 01:04:07.429 --> 01:04:09.540 to fund and maybe that's uh solved in 01:04:09.540 --> 01:04:11.596 the next 10 days in response to your 01:04:11.596 --> 01:04:13.762 response to suggest so that that's the 01:04:13.762 --> 01:04:16.750 case , but it's hard for me , uh , to 01:04:16.750 --> 01:04:19.310 say we're on the right path because I 01:04:19.310 --> 01:04:21.477 don't know what path we're on . I hear 01:04:21.477 --> 01:04:23.532 what we're going to do to reduce . I 01:04:23.532 --> 01:04:25.643 don't yet know what we're going to do 01:04:25.643 --> 01:04:28.590 to spend . So I , I would tell you that . 01:04:29.530 --> 01:04:32.010 A thing that I think is a fallacy that 01:04:32.010 --> 01:04:34.840 the plan seems to be based on . And I 01:04:34.840 --> 01:04:37.199 can presume I can be convinced to be 01:04:37.199 --> 01:04:39.255 wrong once I have more information . 01:04:39.479 --> 01:04:42.360 But the , the concept behind the plan 01:04:42.360 --> 01:04:44.360 seemed to be that we're going to be 01:04:44.360 --> 01:04:47.439 focused on China . And I'm all for 01:04:47.439 --> 01:04:49.959 focusing on China . They are our pacing 01:04:49.959 --> 01:04:53.840 challenge . But it seems to be that the 01:04:53.840 --> 01:04:56.280 belief is that we can do so while 01:04:56.280 --> 01:04:58.800 focusing significantly less , almost 01:04:58.800 --> 01:05:01.389 not at all , on the rest of the world , 01:05:01.629 --> 01:05:03.685 and I don't think we can have a plan 01:05:03.685 --> 01:05:05.851 that's based upon a particular theater 01:05:06.159 --> 01:05:08.370 when the army has to be our defense 01:05:08.370 --> 01:05:10.370 department has to be focused on the 01:05:10.370 --> 01:05:12.489 globe and the conversations we've had 01:05:12.489 --> 01:05:14.322 uh this morning , Senator Graham 01:05:14.322 --> 01:05:16.860 outlining the challenges we face . I 01:05:16.860 --> 01:05:18.971 don't know that he said China , maybe 01:05:18.971 --> 01:05:21.138 he did , but he certainly talked about 01:05:21.138 --> 01:05:23.138 the Middle East and he talked about 01:05:23.138 --> 01:05:25.304 Ukraine . And I want to make sure that 01:05:25.304 --> 01:05:27.471 as the army transitions to something , 01:05:27.471 --> 01:05:29.693 it doesn't make the decision that we're 01:05:29.693 --> 01:05:31.693 only focused on China . I happen to 01:05:31.693 --> 01:05:33.693 believe that focusing on the Middle 01:05:33.693 --> 01:05:35.916 East , focusing on Europe , focusing on 01:05:35.916 --> 01:05:38.219 NATO , focusing on Ukraine has a 01:05:38.219 --> 01:05:40.820 consequence in China or to China , to 01:05:40.820 --> 01:05:44.129 the South Pacific and so as the army 01:05:44.129 --> 01:05:46.379 develops its tran transformation 01:05:46.379 --> 01:05:48.739 program as it explains it to us , I 01:05:48.739 --> 01:05:50.939 need reassurance that we're not solely 01:05:50.939 --> 01:05:54.870 focused or um only 01:05:54.870 --> 01:05:56.870 not only is perhaps too strong of a 01:05:56.870 --> 01:05:59.037 word because you can tell me we're not 01:05:59.037 --> 01:06:01.259 that . But we've not forgotten that the 01:06:01.259 --> 01:06:03.481 rest of the world matters to the United 01:06:03.481 --> 01:06:03.360 States of America , and we want the 01:06:03.360 --> 01:06:05.471 rest of the world to know that , Mr . 01:06:05.471 --> 01:06:07.471 Secretary , uh , Senator , and I'll 01:06:07.471 --> 01:06:09.749 hand it to my ranger buddy in a second , 01:06:09.749 --> 01:06:11.804 but , um , we , we , we oftentimes , 01:06:11.804 --> 01:06:13.860 General George and I talk about in a 01:06:13.860 --> 01:06:16.027 lot of settings , any human being that 01:06:16.027 --> 01:06:15.600 believes that they have been able to 01:06:15.600 --> 01:06:18.360 predict the future current events since 01:06:18.360 --> 01:06:20.439 the dawn of man has oftentimes and 01:06:20.439 --> 01:06:22.550 probably most times been wrong . um , 01:06:22.550 --> 01:06:24.717 what , what we hope you see in 10 days 01:06:24.717 --> 01:06:27.229 as we explain . Um , our changes in the 01:06:27.229 --> 01:06:29.629 recycling of this $48 billion . This 01:06:29.629 --> 01:06:31.685 was not intended to be simply a cost 01:06:31.685 --> 01:06:33.709 cutting exercise . Every dollar is 01:06:33.709 --> 01:06:36.110 intended to help us innovate and move 01:06:36.110 --> 01:06:38.054 forward to face threats around the 01:06:38.054 --> 01:06:40.350 world . What we believe Army 01:06:40.350 --> 01:06:42.709 transformation does is in our Title 10 01:06:42.709 --> 01:06:44.765 authorities to man , train and equip 01:06:44.765 --> 01:06:46.876 the United States Army , we want that 01:06:46.876 --> 01:06:49.098 army to be able to fight in any theater 01:06:49.098 --> 01:06:51.098 anywhere in the world at a moment's 01:06:51.098 --> 01:06:53.320 notice . And so what we believe it does 01:06:53.320 --> 01:06:55.431 is it starts to pull us from . We are 01:06:55.431 --> 01:06:57.653 overindexed on these slower , uh , more 01:06:57.653 --> 01:06:59.598 exquisite systems that just cannot 01:06:59.598 --> 01:07:01.820 achieve that goal in a lot of locations 01:07:01.820 --> 01:07:03.876 around the world and pull us to this 01:07:03.876 --> 01:07:05.653 more digitally enabled software 01:07:05.653 --> 01:07:07.765 manifesting in the world as these new 01:07:07.765 --> 01:07:09.876 hardware systems surrounded by drones 01:07:09.876 --> 01:07:11.931 and autonomy and all of these things 01:07:11.931 --> 01:07:14.042 like what we believe is that solution 01:07:14.042 --> 01:07:16.042 set is binarily required for combat 01:07:16.042 --> 01:07:18.320 anywhere , not just in the in Dopeycom . 01:07:18.334 --> 01:07:20.390 Before going to Secretary George , I 01:07:20.390 --> 01:07:22.334 wanna ask a couple other questions 01:07:22.334 --> 01:07:24.469 before my time expires . Uh , I don't 01:07:24.790 --> 01:07:27.350 believe that , uh , ATI is fully 01:07:27.350 --> 01:07:29.406 accounted for in the army's budget , 01:07:29.590 --> 01:07:31.812 certainly not what we've seen to date , 01:07:31.812 --> 01:07:34.090 and I just would highlight if it's not , 01:07:34.090 --> 01:07:36.146 how can you expect us if it's not or 01:07:36.146 --> 01:07:38.500 will not be , how can you expect , uh , 01:07:38.510 --> 01:07:40.790 it to provide us a budget that this 01:07:40.790 --> 01:07:43.260 committee can support ? And if it does , 01:07:43.870 --> 01:07:46.092 it all everything that I see appears to 01:07:46.092 --> 01:07:49.750 be a flat uh request uh 01:07:49.750 --> 01:07:53.219 for funding . Uh , and not a growth , 01:07:53.270 --> 01:07:55.870 and I don't think we can transform the 01:07:55.870 --> 01:07:58.070 army without additional resources and 01:07:58.070 --> 01:08:00.126 more importantly , I don't think our 01:08:00.126 --> 01:08:02.070 country is safe without additional 01:08:02.070 --> 01:08:04.126 resources . I wanna highlight that I 01:08:04.126 --> 01:08:06.070 visited briefly with both of you . 01:08:06.070 --> 01:08:08.126 Secretary Driscoll , uh , I was with 01:08:08.126 --> 01:08:10.070 you at uh Huntsville and we talked 01:08:10.070 --> 01:08:13.540 about Flora , uh , and it's advancing 01:08:13.540 --> 01:08:15.790 production so that there's not a gap of 01:08:15.790 --> 01:08:18.509 several years between prototyping and 01:08:18.509 --> 01:08:21.870 in production . And uh General George , 01:08:21.910 --> 01:08:24.069 I talked to you about this in uh in 01:08:24.069 --> 01:08:26.589 Kansas and uh it seems to me that 01:08:26.589 --> 01:08:28.367 you're on the path of trying to 01:08:28.367 --> 01:08:30.589 accomplish that goal , but I can't find 01:08:30.589 --> 01:08:32.756 any place in which money is designated 01:08:32.756 --> 01:08:36.220 to fund production during that gap , uh , 01:08:36.270 --> 01:08:39.100 neither in the reconciliation language 01:08:39.390 --> 01:08:41.879 or in the budget details that we've , 01:08:42.029 --> 01:08:44.362 the few details that we've seen to date . 01:08:44.362 --> 01:08:46.362 Can you assure me that someplace in 01:08:46.362 --> 01:08:48.830 that budget or in that request are 01:08:48.830 --> 01:08:51.039 those dollars ? You you should see in 01:08:51.039 --> 01:08:53.039 the budget when you get the details 01:08:53.039 --> 01:08:55.029 soon . OK . And um , 01:08:58.000 --> 01:09:00.160 Let me , let me , I , I , I want to , 01:09:00.370 --> 01:09:02.649 to uh thank you , Secretary , for your 01:09:02.649 --> 01:09:05.439 efforts in my con . Uh , consistent 01:09:05.439 --> 01:09:07.640 effort to try to get , uh , people 01:09:07.640 --> 01:09:09.807 hired the Army Corps of Engineers at a 01:09:09.807 --> 01:09:11.807 at a Army Corps of Engineer Lake in 01:09:11.807 --> 01:09:14.029 Kansas . I thank you for your attention 01:09:14.029 --> 01:09:16.680 to this detail , and , uh , I look 01:09:16.680 --> 01:09:18.959 forward to some good news at which the 01:09:18.959 --> 01:09:21.015 Army Corps of Engineers has actually 01:09:21.015 --> 01:09:23.181 hired someone now that you have lifted 01:09:23.181 --> 01:09:25.600 the hiring freeze , so thank you . And 01:09:25.600 --> 01:09:27.870 in that regard , I'm planning to 01:09:27.870 --> 01:09:31.119 introduce legislation . That would 01:09:31.119 --> 01:09:34.559 expand the use of IGSAs , local and 01:09:34.559 --> 01:09:36.679 state governments to conduct uh 01:09:36.679 --> 01:09:39.079 business with for construction and 01:09:39.079 --> 01:09:41.199 engineering with entities , private 01:09:41.199 --> 01:09:43.143 entities that are outside the Army 01:09:43.143 --> 01:09:45.238 Corps of Engineers . uh , this bill 01:09:45.238 --> 01:09:47.182 would expand the the kind of funds 01:09:47.182 --> 01:09:49.127 which can be used in inner support 01:09:49.127 --> 01:09:51.349 agreements , enable the army to utilize 01:09:51.349 --> 01:09:53.349 construction options aside from the 01:09:53.349 --> 01:09:55.571 Army Corps of Engineers saving time and 01:09:55.571 --> 01:09:57.627 money . And when this legislation is 01:09:57.627 --> 01:09:59.960 introduced , I'd like for you to see it . 01:09:59.960 --> 01:10:01.905 And hopefully um have your support 01:10:01.905 --> 01:10:04.016 we've seen this in a few instances in 01:10:04.016 --> 01:10:06.182 in in the country in which we can save 01:10:06.182 --> 01:10:08.349 money and time by dealing with a local 01:10:08.349 --> 01:10:10.571 uh entity rather than the Army Corps of 01:10:10.571 --> 01:10:12.738 Engineers to engineer these projects . 01:10:12.738 --> 01:10:14.849 Mr . Secretary , we'd love to look at 01:10:14.849 --> 01:10:17.016 that and work with your office on it . 01:10:17.016 --> 01:10:19.238 Thank you sir , General . Uh , I just , 01:10:19.238 --> 01:10:21.405 I wanted to go back to your point on , 01:10:21.405 --> 01:10:23.182 you know , what we're doing for 01:10:23.182 --> 01:10:25.580 transformation . Um , our , what we had 01:10:25.580 --> 01:10:27.413 in mind from the beginning and I 01:10:27.413 --> 01:10:29.636 mentioned the Army war fighting concept 01:10:29.636 --> 01:10:31.858 is that we would actually look at how , 01:10:31.858 --> 01:10:34.024 I think what we're talking about being 01:10:34.024 --> 01:10:35.802 more mobile , lower signature , 01:10:35.802 --> 01:10:37.859 increasing the number of drones , 01:10:38.180 --> 01:10:41.100 counter UAS EW , you know , all the 01:10:41.100 --> 01:10:43.267 things that we're seeing on the modern 01:10:43.267 --> 01:10:45.378 battlefield are gonna work everywhere 01:10:45.378 --> 01:10:47.433 around the globe , and that's really 01:10:47.433 --> 01:10:49.600 what we're focused on . Um , same with 01:10:49.600 --> 01:10:51.767 other kind of systems , and we're also 01:10:51.767 --> 01:10:53.544 trying to bring , just like you 01:10:53.544 --> 01:10:55.767 mentioned , the MV 75 and bring some of 01:10:55.767 --> 01:10:57.600 these other systems , bring them 01:10:57.600 --> 01:10:59.656 forward because we know that they're 01:10:59.656 --> 01:11:01.656 gonna increase our lethality on the 01:11:01.656 --> 01:11:01.379 battlefield , and that's really where 01:11:01.379 --> 01:11:04.700 we're , where we're focused . My 01:11:04.700 --> 01:11:06.859 encouragement would be that the army 01:11:06.859 --> 01:11:08.581 needs to talk about its global 01:11:08.581 --> 01:11:10.859 responsibilities , not just its concern 01:11:10.859 --> 01:11:12.470 in the Pacific . Thank you . 01:11:23.089 --> 01:11:25.311 Thank you Mr . Chairman . I'll try to . 01:11:26.089 --> 01:11:29.220 Land this plane . Within my time 01:11:30.399 --> 01:11:32.779 Um , I , I wanna know , I wanna tell 01:11:32.779 --> 01:11:36.120 you briefly how I see the world . And , 01:11:36.129 --> 01:11:38.407 and invite you to tell me if I'm wrong . 01:11:40.500 --> 01:11:44.279 I think uh President Xi and President 01:11:44.279 --> 01:11:46.439 Putin and the Ayatollah and Iran are 01:11:46.439 --> 01:11:47.495 working together . 01:11:51.259 --> 01:11:54.890 I think that um . President Xi is the 01:11:54.890 --> 01:11:58.819 quarterback . I think their goal is to 01:11:58.819 --> 01:12:02.569 have uh . Russia dominates Central and 01:12:02.569 --> 01:12:06.520 Eastern Europe . To have Iran dominate 01:12:06.520 --> 01:12:10.350 the Middle East . And to have China 01:12:10.350 --> 01:12:14.209 dominate the Indo-Pacific . While being 01:12:14.209 --> 01:12:17.450 free to roam in sub-Saharan Africa and 01:12:17.450 --> 01:12:19.240 South America and space . 01:12:21.399 --> 01:12:24.160 Uh , I do not want America to be the 01:12:24.160 --> 01:12:27.649 world's policeman . But I don't want 01:12:27.649 --> 01:12:31.169 President Xi . Our President Putin . 01:12:32.490 --> 01:12:35.109 Or Iran to be the world's policeman 01:12:35.109 --> 01:12:39.020 either . Do I , do I see 01:12:39.020 --> 01:12:40.631 the world in the right way ? 01:12:45.859 --> 01:12:47.970 I , I would tell you , Senator , that 01:12:47.970 --> 01:12:50.192 we are seeing them , you know , I don't 01:12:50.192 --> 01:12:52.192 know specifically what their , what 01:12:52.192 --> 01:12:54.248 their ambitions are , um , but we do 01:12:54.248 --> 01:12:56.248 see them working together and doing 01:12:56.248 --> 01:12:58.081 some of those things against our 01:12:58.081 --> 01:13:00.137 interest . General , I need you to . 01:13:00.137 --> 01:13:02.192 You , you both of you fine gentlemen 01:13:02.192 --> 01:13:04.415 look us in the eye and tell us what you 01:13:04.415 --> 01:13:06.581 think . I understand you got to choose 01:13:06.581 --> 01:13:06.509 your words carefully . You don't wanna 01:13:06.509 --> 01:13:08.740 get put on double secret probation , 01:13:09.069 --> 01:13:11.125 but we've got some hard decisions to 01:13:11.125 --> 01:13:13.350 make here , and there are there's a 01:13:13.350 --> 01:13:15.461 consensus , I think , in the Congress 01:13:15.461 --> 01:13:18.270 to give you more money . Of them 01:13:18.270 --> 01:13:20.381 because I think we need to spend more 01:13:20.381 --> 01:13:22.381 money on defense , but you're gonna 01:13:22.381 --> 01:13:24.437 have to give us straight answers and 01:13:24.437 --> 01:13:26.770 tell us what you think , Mr . Secretary . 01:13:26.770 --> 01:13:28.826 Am I right or wrong ? Uh , Senator , 01:13:28.826 --> 01:13:30.826 your question of , uh , one of your 01:13:30.826 --> 01:13:32.714 colleagues said it earlier , $185 01:13:32.714 --> 01:13:34.990 billion is a lot of money . Um , if , 01:13:35.049 --> 01:13:37.250 if we are given more money , uh , than 01:13:37.250 --> 01:13:39.439 it is in the budget that you've seen , 01:13:39.649 --> 01:13:41.760 we , we will be good stewards of that 01:13:41.760 --> 01:13:43.982 and innovate even faster . I think what 01:13:43.982 --> 01:13:46.093 we are saying to this committee is we 01:13:46.093 --> 01:13:48.260 believe we can transform the army with 01:13:48.260 --> 01:13:50.371 those amount of dollars as long as we 01:13:50.371 --> 01:13:52.371 are able to use them , uh , the way 01:13:52.371 --> 01:13:54.593 that we want to , and we are not . Tell 01:13:54.593 --> 01:13:54.359 me again the amount of money you need 01:13:54.359 --> 01:13:56.959 for the armored transformation . We can 01:13:56.959 --> 01:13:59.015 use our current budget and transform 01:13:59.015 --> 01:14:01.237 the army as long as we're able to spend 01:14:01.237 --> 01:14:03.348 it the way that we believe is right . 01:14:03.348 --> 01:14:03.310 How much money do you think we need to 01:14:03.310 --> 01:14:06.020 spend as a country to maintain or or 01:14:06.020 --> 01:14:08.076 either depending on your perspective 01:14:08.076 --> 01:14:11.459 reach parity with China ? I think the 01:14:11.459 --> 01:14:13.626 president has mentioned um between the 01:14:13.626 --> 01:14:16.609 two bills $1 trillion for the DOD . OK . 01:14:16.979 --> 01:14:19.146 Do you trust you to spend more money ? 01:14:19.899 --> 01:14:22.620 I'm sorry , you , you trust , you , do 01:14:22.620 --> 01:14:24.842 you trust Germany to spend more money ? 01:14:25.129 --> 01:14:27.407 I've talked a good game when I was out , 01:14:27.407 --> 01:14:29.185 I was out with NATO with , um , 01:14:29.185 --> 01:14:31.240 Ambassador Whittaker and talked to a 01:14:31.240 --> 01:14:33.240 lot of our colleagues , um , in the 01:14:33.240 --> 01:14:35.462 NATO countries , and , uh , as far as I 01:14:35.462 --> 01:14:37.629 could tell qualitatively , they , they 01:14:37.629 --> 01:14:39.851 believed it seemed to be that they were 01:14:39.851 --> 01:14:42.185 gonna start to spend significantly more . 01:14:42.185 --> 01:14:42.049 General , do you , do you trust the 01:14:42.049 --> 01:14:44.271 United Kingdom to , uh , follow through 01:14:44.271 --> 01:14:47.580 and spend more money ? I mean , all , 01:14:47.600 --> 01:14:49.656 all , all I've gotten , Senator , is 01:14:49.656 --> 01:14:51.822 what they said that they were gonna do 01:14:51.822 --> 01:14:54.044 with their new defense review that they 01:14:54.044 --> 01:14:56.156 said that they were gonna raise , you 01:14:56.156 --> 01:14:58.378 know , their spending on , on defense . 01:14:59.459 --> 01:15:03.410 So do you , do you believe them ? I 01:15:03.410 --> 01:15:05.466 mean , I , I think we're , we're big 01:15:05.466 --> 01:15:07.577 believers and , uh , you know , we'll 01:15:07.577 --> 01:15:09.910 see , and I think action is what , what , 01:15:09.910 --> 01:15:12.021 what counts in some of this . There's 01:15:12.021 --> 01:15:14.021 certainly been a whole bunch of our 01:15:14.021 --> 01:15:16.243 allies that have done that when they've 01:15:16.243 --> 01:15:18.521 called for Tell me , tell me , general , 01:15:18.521 --> 01:15:21.419 how you think . The war in Ukraine . 01:15:22.520 --> 01:15:26.350 Relates To our struggle with China , 01:15:26.540 --> 01:15:28.660 are the two inextricably linked , or 01:15:28.660 --> 01:15:31.580 they do the two have nothing to do with 01:15:31.580 --> 01:15:34.370 each other ? Well , I think Senator , 01:15:34.709 --> 01:15:36.876 everybody is watching that fight right 01:15:36.876 --> 01:15:39.042 now , taking lessons from it . I think 01:15:39.042 --> 01:15:40.876 everybody's doing that . I think 01:15:40.876 --> 01:15:43.098 everybody is looking , uh , I get a lot 01:15:43.098 --> 01:15:42.950 of comments , General , I know 01:15:42.950 --> 01:15:45.228 everybody's watching . I got that part . 01:15:45.228 --> 01:15:47.394 We're all watching . Do you think what 01:15:47.394 --> 01:15:49.506 we do in Ukraine impacts our struggle 01:15:49.506 --> 01:15:52.149 with with China or not ? I do think our 01:15:52.149 --> 01:15:54.260 partners and allies are watching what 01:15:54.260 --> 01:15:56.316 we're doing and how that turns out . 01:15:56.316 --> 01:15:58.538 Yes , Senator , I , I agree with that . 01:15:58.538 --> 01:16:00.760 All right , how's last question because 01:16:00.760 --> 01:16:02.871 I'm gonna land this plane . How's our 01:16:02.871 --> 01:16:05.870 recruiting coming ? We're dominating 01:16:05.870 --> 01:16:07.926 recruiting and retention . Why is it 01:16:07.926 --> 01:16:10.310 better ? That we made some structural 01:16:10.310 --> 01:16:12.950 changes and the return to a focus on 01:16:12.950 --> 01:16:15.250 lethality among our leadership . What 01:16:15.250 --> 01:16:17.417 structural changes did you make ? Uh , 01:16:17.417 --> 01:16:19.770 we created a future soldiers prep 01:16:20.189 --> 01:16:22.245 program that gets soldiers or future 01:16:22.245 --> 01:16:24.411 soldiers who are right on the edge and 01:16:24.411 --> 01:16:26.245 helps get them a little bit more 01:16:26.245 --> 01:16:26.029 training before they join , and then . 01:16:26.350 --> 01:16:28.406 Uh , there was , there were problems 01:16:28.406 --> 01:16:30.294 with when we transitioned over to 01:16:30.294 --> 01:16:32.072 digital medical records we were 01:16:32.072 --> 01:16:34.239 catching things when kids were younger 01:16:34.239 --> 01:16:36.017 and we didn't have in place the 01:16:36.017 --> 01:16:38.183 mechanisms to get those waivers and we 01:16:38.183 --> 01:16:37.870 have improved their dramatically . 01:16:38.109 --> 01:16:40.387 Thank you , gentlemen . Thank you , Mr . 01:16:40.387 --> 01:16:43.680 Chairman . Senator Boseman , 01:16:43.930 --> 01:16:46.689 Capito , Murkowski , and Hogan . Thank 01:16:46.689 --> 01:16:49.000 you , Mr . Chairman . Uh , on Sunday , 01:16:49.049 --> 01:16:52.450 I saw the clip on television about the 01:16:52.450 --> 01:16:56.370 Army , uh , museum's new . Uh 01:16:58.069 --> 01:17:00.580 Uh , thing regarding the , the , uh , 01:17:00.629 --> 01:17:03.419 revolution and so we went out on Sunday 01:17:03.419 --> 01:17:05.270 afternoon . It's excellent and 01:17:05.270 --> 01:17:07.229 congratulations . It is really 01:17:07.229 --> 01:17:09.910 wonderful it's I , I was telling a 01:17:09.910 --> 01:17:12.077 group yesterday in Milan that it's not 01:17:12.077 --> 01:17:14.132 about , it's not just about the army 01:17:14.132 --> 01:17:16.470 it's just about the soldiers uh that 01:17:16.470 --> 01:17:18.709 started , you know , the country and 01:17:18.709 --> 01:17:21.379 then that that same spirit has lived on , 01:17:22.029 --> 01:17:24.620 uh , till now . And but it really is 01:17:24.620 --> 01:17:26.064 remarkable . Like I say , 01:17:26.064 --> 01:17:28.287 congratulations . I hope everybody goes 01:17:28.287 --> 01:17:31.109 and sees it . Uh , I've really enjoyed 01:17:31.109 --> 01:17:33.270 visiting with you all about the , the 01:17:33.270 --> 01:17:36.640 ATI . I share your concerns , uh , 01:17:36.830 --> 01:17:39.229 again with modernization . I also share 01:17:39.229 --> 01:17:42.379 Senator McConnell's concerns and , uh , 01:17:42.390 --> 01:17:45.109 Senator Collins and others here , uh , 01:17:45.149 --> 01:17:47.509 in fact , many in Congress about the 01:17:47.509 --> 01:17:50.439 stated . What he stated with the loss 01:17:50.439 --> 01:17:53.669 of the organic industrial base , um , 01:17:54.819 --> 01:17:56.763 Current events have made one thing 01:17:56.763 --> 01:17:58.930 clear , the commercial industrial base 01:17:58.930 --> 01:18:01.729 alone cannot meet our in our munitions 01:18:02.180 --> 01:18:06.160 demands . That's why in Congress , many 01:18:06.160 --> 01:18:08.216 have advocated for investing in army 01:18:08.216 --> 01:18:10.040 owned organic industrial base 01:18:10.040 --> 01:18:13.589 facilities . Secretary , will you , 01:18:13.720 --> 01:18:16.240 Secretary Driscoll , will you commit to 01:18:16.240 --> 01:18:18.462 continuing to work with the committee , 01:18:18.462 --> 01:18:20.549 continue to work with myself about 01:18:21.240 --> 01:18:23.799 modernizing critical munitions 01:18:23.799 --> 01:18:25.680 productions at these plants ? 01:18:25.759 --> 01:18:27.950 Unequivocally , Senator , it is , um , 01:18:28.120 --> 01:18:30.120 what there are probably a couple of 01:18:30.120 --> 01:18:32.287 threats that if we don't , um . Figure 01:18:32.287 --> 01:18:34.176 out how to get scalable solutions 01:18:34.176 --> 01:18:36.287 together . Um , we , we as a , we are 01:18:36.287 --> 01:18:38.509 going to put our army in a bad position 01:18:38.509 --> 01:18:40.676 and that is absolutely one of them and 01:18:40.676 --> 01:18:40.279 it would be an honor to work with you . 01:18:40.470 --> 01:18:43.419 Very good , thank you . Uh , also , Mr . 01:18:43.479 --> 01:18:45.368 Secretary , I know the continuing 01:18:45.368 --> 01:18:47.535 resolution has come up . Could you and 01:18:47.669 --> 01:18:49.629 General George , can you give us 01:18:49.629 --> 01:18:51.462 examples if we have a continuing 01:18:51.462 --> 01:18:55.000 resolution , how that affects , uh , 01:18:55.189 --> 01:18:57.790 the mission , the commitments we have ? 01:18:57.830 --> 01:18:59.941 I know in the past people have talked 01:18:59.941 --> 01:19:03.149 about training . Things Yeah , 01:19:03.310 --> 01:19:05.532 obviously , um , you know , part of the 01:19:05.532 --> 01:19:07.754 problem for us is we would go back , we 01:19:07.754 --> 01:19:09.810 wouldn't be able to make some of the 01:19:09.810 --> 01:19:11.866 changes because it would be based on 01:19:11.866 --> 01:19:11.189 previous years , so that would 01:19:11.189 --> 01:19:13.356 obviously be , you know , detriment to 01:19:13.356 --> 01:19:15.549 us in the army , um , but I , I think 01:19:15.549 --> 01:19:18.109 it's , it's new starts , it's how 01:19:18.109 --> 01:19:20.165 things , you know , change . We know 01:19:20.165 --> 01:19:22.442 the battlefield is constantly changing , 01:19:22.442 --> 01:19:24.665 um , I think it would impact in several 01:19:24.665 --> 01:19:26.330 areas . And and just senator 01:19:26.330 --> 01:19:28.410 predictable funding , um , is a 01:19:28.410 --> 01:19:31.410 virtuous , um , kind of concept that 01:19:31.410 --> 01:19:33.410 helps us in a lot of different ways 01:19:33.410 --> 01:19:35.410 from training to have we oftentimes 01:19:35.410 --> 01:19:37.521 talk about how we , the United States 01:19:37.521 --> 01:19:39.299 Army are a bad customer both to 01:19:39.299 --> 01:19:41.077 ourselves and to our , um , the 01:19:41.077 --> 01:19:43.299 companies that sell to us and , and one 01:19:43.299 --> 01:19:45.410 of their biggest complaints is how we 01:19:45.410 --> 01:19:47.632 are funded and that is a lot of this is 01:19:47.632 --> 01:19:49.299 baked into how our um form of 01:19:49.299 --> 01:19:51.410 government was set up and that's OK , 01:19:51.410 --> 01:19:53.870 um , but when it is um . When we 01:19:53.870 --> 01:19:55.870 continue to have CRs , it makes our 01:19:55.870 --> 01:19:57.981 spending decisions and the downstream 01:19:57.981 --> 01:19:59.870 effect on our suppliers even more 01:19:59.870 --> 01:20:02.629 amplified . Uh , another thing I've 01:20:02.629 --> 01:20:04.685 enjoyed talking to you about General 01:20:04.685 --> 01:20:07.390 George is , is , uh , the army's 01:20:07.390 --> 01:20:08.946 efforts to refine it strong 01:20:08.946 --> 01:20:11.580 capabilities , certainly with the what 01:20:11.580 --> 01:20:14.870 we saw happen uh to the , uh , Russians . 01:20:15.609 --> 01:20:19.180 Can you talk a little bit about uh uh 01:20:19.959 --> 01:20:22.359 How the army would integrate and field 01:20:22.359 --> 01:20:25.270 mass . Small drone technology . 01:20:27.000 --> 01:20:29.278 Um , Senator , I think that , you know , 01:20:29.278 --> 01:20:31.444 back to your organic industrial base , 01:20:31.444 --> 01:20:33.444 that's a perfect example of an area 01:20:33.444 --> 01:20:35.556 where I think we need to , you know , 01:20:35.556 --> 01:20:37.500 produce , we're producing very few 01:20:37.500 --> 01:20:39.611 drones here stateside , um , I mean , 01:20:39.611 --> 01:20:41.889 even companies like Walmart using them , 01:20:41.889 --> 01:20:44.390 you know , and parts that I think that 01:20:44.390 --> 01:20:46.612 we need to , you know , that we need to 01:20:46.612 --> 01:20:48.723 have here . In our organic industrial 01:20:48.723 --> 01:20:50.834 base and there's a lot of things that 01:20:50.834 --> 01:20:52.946 we can do that we are doing as far as 01:20:52.946 --> 01:20:55.390 3D printing , um , and , and innovating 01:20:55.390 --> 01:20:57.557 at the edge , but that's certainly one 01:20:57.557 --> 01:20:59.501 area where there's an intersection 01:20:59.501 --> 01:21:01.723 where I think we need to improve on and 01:21:01.723 --> 01:21:03.946 we're working with you all to do that . 01:21:03.946 --> 01:21:05.834 Thank you , we appreciate you all 01:21:05.834 --> 01:21:07.946 service . Thank you , Mr . Chairman . 01:21:09.060 --> 01:21:11.060 Thank you Mr . Chairman . Thank the 01:21:11.060 --> 01:21:13.171 ranking member and thank you both for 01:21:13.171 --> 01:21:15.282 being here . It's good to see both of 01:21:15.282 --> 01:21:15.140 you again . Since we've been talking 01:21:15.140 --> 01:21:17.307 about the uh industrial base , we know 01:21:17.307 --> 01:21:19.740 that uh the rates of fire and munition 01:21:19.740 --> 01:21:21.740 expenditures we're seeing are quite 01:21:21.740 --> 01:21:23.962 high . Uh , as you know , West Virginia 01:21:23.962 --> 01:21:25.962 is the home to Allegheny Ballistics 01:21:25.962 --> 01:21:28.184 Laboratory where we're making . Uh , by 01:21:28.184 --> 01:21:30.240 the end of 26 , we should be able to 01:21:30.240 --> 01:21:33.540 deliver 10,000 Gimler rocket motors . 01:21:33.859 --> 01:21:36.026 Uh , this site currently has it , this 01:21:36.026 --> 01:21:37.915 is a different question than what 01:21:37.915 --> 01:21:40.192 Senator Boseman said because this is a , 01:21:40.192 --> 01:21:42.026 a , um , private entity that has 01:21:42.026 --> 01:21:45.339 manufactured there for years , um . Is 01:21:45.339 --> 01:21:48.819 the army utilizing is maximizing using 01:21:48.819 --> 01:21:51.459 existing munitions uh capacity 01:21:51.459 --> 01:21:54.259 nationwide such as what's at ABL before 01:21:54.259 --> 01:21:57.259 investing in new sites uh to try to get 01:21:57.259 --> 01:21:59.620 uh the the munition production to where 01:21:59.620 --> 01:22:01.787 it needs to be so general , I'll start 01:22:01.787 --> 01:22:03.953 with you . Yeah , I think we're , um , 01:22:03.953 --> 01:22:06.064 I would say both , Senator . I mean I 01:22:06.064 --> 01:22:08.231 think what we're trying to do and this 01:22:08.231 --> 01:22:10.453 is one of the things that we talk a lot 01:22:10.453 --> 01:22:09.799 about that we wanna improve is our 01:22:09.799 --> 01:22:11.910 magazine depth and I think it's gonna 01:22:11.910 --> 01:22:14.080 take a little bit of both . Um , we're 01:22:14.080 --> 01:22:16.247 obviously looking on , you know , what 01:22:16.247 --> 01:22:18.524 we would do inside the industrial base , 01:22:18.524 --> 01:22:20.691 how we would help , um , very specific 01:22:20.691 --> 01:22:22.990 things that could , uh , that go into , 01:22:23.120 --> 01:22:25.231 you know , producing these missiles . 01:22:25.231 --> 01:22:27.453 So I do , I mean that is a big focus of 01:22:27.453 --> 01:22:29.910 ours where we want to spend money on , 01:22:30.040 --> 01:22:32.799 um , I will tell you that as far as I'm 01:22:32.799 --> 01:22:35.021 aware of , we are , you know , going to 01:22:35.021 --> 01:22:36.855 capacity , so we are funding the 01:22:36.855 --> 01:22:38.966 capacity where we can do , you know , 01:22:38.966 --> 01:22:40.855 these kinds of things that you're 01:22:40.855 --> 01:22:40.839 talking about like gimmlers and these 01:22:40.839 --> 01:22:43.117 other things that we know that we need . 01:22:43.117 --> 01:22:45.117 Um , and we would certainly welcome 01:22:45.117 --> 01:22:47.689 more capacity on that . Right , Mr . 01:22:47.700 --> 01:22:49.756 Secretary , do you have a comment on 01:22:49.756 --> 01:22:51.422 that ? Uh , I would just echo 01:22:51.422 --> 01:22:53.589 everything he's saying . I , I think , 01:22:53.589 --> 01:22:56.359 um , um . We as a nation need to focus 01:22:56.359 --> 01:22:58.526 on this . We need to do it organically 01:22:58.526 --> 01:23:00.859 and inorganically with outside partners , 01:23:00.859 --> 01:23:02.859 and , and we should be investing in 01:23:02.859 --> 01:23:05.026 both , um , because redundancy in this 01:23:05.026 --> 01:23:07.303 space matters contested logistics , uh , 01:23:07.303 --> 01:23:09.359 we haven't faced them as a nation at 01:23:09.359 --> 01:23:11.470 scale , especially in our own home in 01:23:11.470 --> 01:23:13.520 Kona in a very long time , um , and 01:23:13.520 --> 01:23:16.120 there are benefits to having us manage 01:23:16.120 --> 01:23:18.279 that as a nation through government 01:23:18.279 --> 01:23:20.520 owned . Um , uh , manufacturing 01:23:20.520 --> 01:23:22.509 facilities , but , but those will 01:23:22.509 --> 01:23:24.676 almost always definitionally be slowed 01:23:24.676 --> 01:23:27.009 down by bureaucracy , be more expensive , 01:23:27.009 --> 01:23:29.120 and , and they are helpful , but they 01:23:29.120 --> 01:23:31.009 should be balanced out by private 01:23:31.009 --> 01:23:33.065 partners who can just innovate a lot 01:23:33.065 --> 01:23:32.680 faster . Can I , can I give you just a 01:23:32.680 --> 01:23:34.736 quick example , please , Senator ? I 01:23:34.736 --> 01:23:36.958 mean 155 , which I think there was just 01:23:36.958 --> 01:23:39.124 something out , you know , we're up to 01:23:39.124 --> 01:23:38.609 a million dollars a month . That is a 01:23:38.609 --> 01:23:41.080 combination or a million or a million 01:23:41.080 --> 01:23:43.080 rounds a year , you know , that's a 01:23:43.080 --> 01:23:45.247 combination of what we're doing in our 01:23:45.247 --> 01:23:47.302 organic industrial base , what we're 01:23:47.302 --> 01:23:49.413 doing with private industry to help . 01:23:49.413 --> 01:23:51.580 So I think that again to do that we're 01:23:51.580 --> 01:23:53.858 gonna have to get both of those moving . 01:23:53.858 --> 01:23:53.680 Yeah , well , I would suggest what what 01:23:53.680 --> 01:23:55.680 the secretary is saying in terms of 01:23:55.680 --> 01:23:57.709 speed and deliverables , uh , uh , 01:23:57.720 --> 01:23:59.839 private sector you by saying it's 01:23:59.839 --> 01:24:02.061 slower on the , on the government owned 01:24:02.061 --> 01:24:04.117 side , there's still capacity in the 01:24:04.117 --> 01:24:06.339 private sector . I would just encourage 01:24:06.339 --> 01:24:08.561 you to keep looking at that . I'm gonna 01:24:08.561 --> 01:24:07.569 change it up a little bit because 01:24:07.569 --> 01:24:09.569 Secretary Driscoll , when we met we 01:24:09.569 --> 01:24:11.839 were on our way to , um , Asheville 01:24:11.839 --> 01:24:14.200 with the with the uh incoming vice 01:24:14.200 --> 01:24:16.422 president to to see the response to the 01:24:16.422 --> 01:24:18.422 flood . Uh , we just had a flood in 01:24:18.422 --> 01:24:20.422 West Virginia , uh , that just this 01:24:20.422 --> 01:24:22.533 morning 8 lives now have been lost in 01:24:22.533 --> 01:24:24.790 that flood . The , the Army National 01:24:24.790 --> 01:24:26.790 Guard is absolutely critical in the 01:24:26.790 --> 01:24:29.040 response to these kinds of , um , 01:24:29.069 --> 01:24:30.958 disasters that we all have in our 01:24:30.958 --> 01:24:33.125 states . In your budget , you have cut 01:24:33.125 --> 01:24:35.180 the Army National Guard , uh , below 01:24:35.180 --> 01:24:38.390 2025 levels , uh , and I would , I 01:24:38.390 --> 01:24:40.490 would be interested to know how does 01:24:40.490 --> 01:24:42.601 the Department of the Army anticipate 01:24:42.601 --> 01:24:45.040 that National Guard . Uh , will meet 01:24:45.040 --> 01:24:47.151 the challenges of concurrent homeland 01:24:47.151 --> 01:24:49.470 defense missions , large scale combat 01:24:49.470 --> 01:24:51.750 operations , and then other things that 01:24:51.759 --> 01:24:53.870 that the guards asked to do . I think 01:24:53.870 --> 01:24:55.859 the answer that you have maybe a 01:24:56.160 --> 01:24:58.560 previous answer is that with 90 days' 01:24:58.560 --> 01:25:00.616 notice they would be able to prepare 01:25:00.616 --> 01:25:02.671 for mobilization . That's why , uh , 01:25:02.671 --> 01:25:04.949 they're getting less money , but I , I , 01:25:04.949 --> 01:25:07.060 how do you respond to that question ? 01:25:07.060 --> 01:25:09.338 General George ? Yeah , I'll just , uh , 01:25:09.338 --> 01:25:11.393 one of the things we've talked about 01:25:11.393 --> 01:25:13.560 and part of , uh , army transformation 01:25:13.560 --> 01:25:15.893 is to make sure that the guard is doing , 01:25:15.893 --> 01:25:18.116 the National Guard is transforming with 01:25:18.116 --> 01:25:20.338 us . This isn't like , uh , hey , we're 01:25:20.338 --> 01:25:22.560 doing this on the active side . I think 01:25:22.560 --> 01:25:24.727 it's both , um , as far as I'm aware , 01:25:24.727 --> 01:25:26.393 the guard is actually is , is 01:25:26.393 --> 01:25:28.449 continuing to grow . They have had a 01:25:28.449 --> 01:25:28.359 great recruiting year and I know it's , 01:25:28.370 --> 01:25:31.040 it's depends on , you know , region to 01:25:31.040 --> 01:25:33.740 region on what we're doing . Um , but 01:25:33.740 --> 01:25:36.073 actually their end strength is going up . 01:25:36.100 --> 01:25:38.220 So we are looking at making changes , 01:25:38.259 --> 01:25:40.315 for example , to make sure that they 01:25:40.315 --> 01:25:42.315 have mobile brigade combat teams so 01:25:42.315 --> 01:25:44.648 they get the same equipment that we get . 01:25:44.648 --> 01:25:46.592 That they get drones you mentioned 01:25:46.592 --> 01:25:48.481 Asheville that was infantry squad 01:25:48.481 --> 01:25:50.426 vehicles that were down there with 01:25:50.426 --> 01:25:52.481 drones that were helping people with 01:25:52.481 --> 01:25:54.592 the right C2 systems , and I think we 01:25:54.592 --> 01:25:56.759 need to do that . It's gonna make them 01:25:56.759 --> 01:25:58.981 much more responsive around the globe , 01:25:58.981 --> 01:25:58.549 and it's also gonna make them much more 01:25:58.549 --> 01:26:00.716 responsive in West Virginia , which is 01:26:00.716 --> 01:26:02.771 why we wanna try and do this quickly 01:26:02.771 --> 01:26:04.783 and Senator , I would . Seco , um , 01:26:04.842 --> 01:26:07.603 General George and I , um , in every 01:26:07.603 --> 01:26:09.603 meeting we have had said we want to 01:26:09.603 --> 01:26:11.770 treat the guard exactly how we treat , 01:26:11.770 --> 01:26:13.881 um , the active duty component . They 01:26:13.881 --> 01:26:15.659 are an incredible asset for the 01:26:15.659 --> 01:26:17.825 American people . They , they dual hat 01:26:17.825 --> 01:26:19.936 or triple hat in some instances . Not 01:26:19.936 --> 01:26:22.159 only can they help with state issues or 01:26:22.159 --> 01:26:24.325 deploy when we as a nation need them , 01:26:24.325 --> 01:26:26.436 they also come with this . Incredible 01:26:26.436 --> 01:26:28.547 set of talent and experiences because 01:26:28.547 --> 01:26:30.770 they oftentimes have day jobs and so if 01:26:30.770 --> 01:26:32.992 you thought of where warfare is going a 01:26:32.992 --> 01:26:34.936 diversity of experience , computer 01:26:34.936 --> 01:26:34.326 programming , all of these different 01:26:34.326 --> 01:26:36.485 things , you may have an infantry 01:26:36.485 --> 01:26:38.652 soldier who is also good at that , and 01:26:38.652 --> 01:26:40.707 that is unlocking a ton of value for 01:26:40.707 --> 01:26:42.929 the army as a whole . Good . I mean , I 01:26:42.929 --> 01:26:45.152 can't say , I mean in in visiting , I'm 01:26:45.152 --> 01:26:44.186 sure all of us , the theaters in 01:26:44.186 --> 01:26:46.242 Afghanistan . In Iraq when they were 01:26:46.242 --> 01:26:48.242 going on , we all met our own guard 01:26:48.242 --> 01:26:50.799 units there , uh , deploying multiple 01:26:50.799 --> 01:26:53.000 times , uh , throughout that those 01:26:53.000 --> 01:26:55.000 engagements . I , I did wanna ask a 01:26:55.000 --> 01:26:56.722 question for the record on the 01:26:56.722 --> 01:26:59.000 Pathfinder program where , uh , at the , 01:26:59.000 --> 01:27:01.222 at the level of uh of the force they're 01:27:01.222 --> 01:27:03.444 able to develop and try out different , 01:27:03.444 --> 01:27:05.839 um , uh , different munitions , 01:27:05.919 --> 01:27:08.141 different ways about going things where 01:27:08.141 --> 01:27:10.252 you got a bottom up kind of structure 01:27:10.252 --> 01:27:12.308 where you're actually war fighter is 01:27:12.308 --> 01:27:12.240 the one who's helping you make a 01:27:12.240 --> 01:27:14.351 decision about what can . What do you 01:27:14.351 --> 01:27:16.629 have a quick comment on the Pathfinder ? 01:27:16.919 --> 01:27:19.141 Yeah , we , we love that kind of bottom 01:27:19.141 --> 01:27:21.252 up information , Senator , and I've , 01:27:21.252 --> 01:27:23.475 I've interacted with these , you know , 01:27:23.475 --> 01:27:25.586 with these teams that are out there . 01:27:25.586 --> 01:27:27.697 That's the whole idea of transforming 01:27:27.697 --> 01:27:29.752 in contact . That's what's helped us 01:27:29.752 --> 01:27:31.863 actually shape how we're transforming 01:27:31.863 --> 01:27:33.975 the army . We , you know , we started 01:27:33.975 --> 01:27:33.600 this , we're learning the lessons , 01:27:33.680 --> 01:27:35.740 we're making adjustments . And we're 01:27:35.740 --> 01:27:37.740 getting it's those are the kinds of 01:27:37.740 --> 01:27:40.018 things that we need to be investing in , 01:27:40.018 --> 01:27:42.240 I think as we move forward . Well , I'm 01:27:42.240 --> 01:27:44.296 hoping when we get the report in the 01:27:44.296 --> 01:27:46.296 next 10 days or so that we see that 01:27:46.296 --> 01:27:48.573 budgetarily it's directed in that , uh , 01:27:48.573 --> 01:27:50.684 direction as well . Thank you , thank 01:27:50.684 --> 01:27:53.029 you both . Murkowski and then Hon . 01:27:53.359 --> 01:27:55.692 Thank you , Mr . Chairman and gentlemen , 01:27:55.692 --> 01:27:57.581 thank you for being here for your 01:27:57.581 --> 01:27:59.581 service , uh , Secretary Driscoll , 01:27:59.581 --> 01:28:01.526 thank you for for coming to Alaska 01:28:01.526 --> 01:28:03.526 recently . Um , I wanna talk to you 01:28:03.526 --> 01:28:05.581 about some of the some of the Arctic 01:28:05.581 --> 01:28:07.692 initiatives , super proud of our 11th 01:28:07.692 --> 01:28:09.915 Airborne , um , but before I do , I , I 01:28:09.915 --> 01:28:12.026 want to , um . I wanna talk about the 01:28:12.026 --> 01:28:14.225 the people um who are executing this 01:28:14.225 --> 01:28:16.384 extraordinary mission we talk a lot 01:28:16.384 --> 01:28:19.225 about um the lethality and what it is 01:28:19.225 --> 01:28:21.705 that we do uh whether it is the the 01:28:21.705 --> 01:28:23.761 assets the equipment or the training 01:28:23.761 --> 01:28:25.745 that goes into it , but so many of 01:28:25.745 --> 01:28:27.967 these folks , everybody has family back 01:28:27.967 --> 01:28:30.023 home , right ? Um , maybe it's a mom 01:28:30.023 --> 01:28:32.245 and dad , maybe it's your , your , your 01:28:32.245 --> 01:28:35.359 wife and and a couple kiddos , um . I 01:28:35.359 --> 01:28:38.479 have um been concerned with some 01:28:38.479 --> 01:28:40.312 information that just came to my 01:28:40.312 --> 01:28:42.649 attention like within the past week uh 01:28:42.649 --> 01:28:45.759 with regards to the family advocacy 01:28:45.759 --> 01:28:49.209 program this is uh this is responsible 01:28:49.209 --> 01:28:51.431 for the prevention , the identification 01:28:51.431 --> 01:28:53.431 and coordinated response to whether 01:28:53.431 --> 01:28:55.542 it's child abuse , neglect , domestic 01:28:55.542 --> 01:28:57.598 or intimate partner violence . These 01:28:57.598 --> 01:28:59.431 are things that we don't want to 01:28:59.431 --> 01:29:01.542 acknowledge go on within our military 01:29:01.542 --> 01:29:03.209 because we want to think that 01:29:03.209 --> 01:29:05.320 everybody's just . OK and everybody's 01:29:05.320 --> 01:29:07.431 holding together but our military are 01:29:07.431 --> 01:29:09.694 just reflections of what happens in in 01:29:09.745 --> 01:29:12.145 in the general society out there and so 01:29:12.145 --> 01:29:14.367 there are problems there are issues and 01:29:14.367 --> 01:29:16.645 we need to be there for those families . 01:29:16.904 --> 01:29:19.424 I , I learned that Fort Wainwright . 01:29:20.450 --> 01:29:23.450 Has lost all of its family advocates , 01:29:23.779 --> 01:29:26.700 so they don't have anybody uh there at 01:29:26.700 --> 01:29:29.259 Fort Wainwright . Um , we've , we've 01:29:29.259 --> 01:29:31.537 dealt with some challenges as you know , 01:29:31.537 --> 01:29:33.703 in Fort Wainwright , um , with in some 01:29:33.703 --> 01:29:36.140 recent years with , with suicides , um . 01:29:36.750 --> 01:29:39.169 Uh , uh , we wanna think that we're 01:29:39.169 --> 01:29:41.391 getting a handle on some of these , but 01:29:41.391 --> 01:29:43.209 these kinds of supports are so 01:29:43.209 --> 01:29:45.320 critically important because it's not 01:29:45.320 --> 01:29:47.265 only those within our military but 01:29:47.265 --> 01:29:49.265 they're working , um , closely with 01:29:49.265 --> 01:29:51.431 with other partners in the community . 01:29:51.431 --> 01:29:53.542 The community itself doesn't have the 01:29:53.542 --> 01:29:55.970 resources to help stand this up so I , 01:29:55.979 --> 01:29:58.990 uh . I I know that what we've heard is 01:29:58.990 --> 01:30:01.589 some have accepted the voluntary early 01:30:01.589 --> 01:30:04.339 retirement or the separation buyout , 01:30:04.689 --> 01:30:06.745 um , but I'm worried that with the , 01:30:06.750 --> 01:30:09.350 the , the current hiring freeze we may 01:30:09.350 --> 01:30:11.072 have some some really critical 01:30:11.072 --> 01:30:14.620 positions that are not in in the news 01:30:14.620 --> 01:30:17.750 until something bad happens so . I 01:30:17.750 --> 01:30:19.694 would just ask for your commitment 01:30:19.694 --> 01:30:22.430 Secretary Driscoll , that you can look 01:30:22.430 --> 01:30:25.629 at uh at support for family advocacy 01:30:25.629 --> 01:30:27.629 programs , make sure that we're not 01:30:27.629 --> 01:30:29.740 leaving our military families without 01:30:29.740 --> 01:30:31.685 the support , and , and maybe even 01:30:31.685 --> 01:30:33.407 exempt the , the , the program 01:30:33.407 --> 01:30:35.669 positions from the , the , the hiring 01:30:35.669 --> 01:30:37.669 freeze if you're seeing that that's 01:30:37.669 --> 01:30:40.002 part of the challenge . Can you senator , 01:30:40.002 --> 01:30:42.225 we will follow up with your office on . 01:30:42.225 --> 01:30:44.779 Uh , just to qualitatively just say 01:30:44.779 --> 01:30:46.668 what General George and I are not 01:30:46.668 --> 01:30:48.890 trying to do in anything is when we say 01:30:48.890 --> 01:30:51.057 show our math for these cuts , we also 01:30:51.057 --> 01:30:52.723 mean show the math or , or um 01:30:52.723 --> 01:30:54.779 acknowledge the warts and the issues 01:30:54.779 --> 01:30:56.835 that our soldiers have . This passed 01:30:56.835 --> 01:30:59.057 for the army's 250th birthday this past 01:30:59.057 --> 01:31:01.223 weekend , General George hosted us and 01:31:01.223 --> 01:31:03.057 I had probably 18 guys who I had 01:31:03.057 --> 01:31:05.001 deployed with , came in for it . I 01:31:05.001 --> 01:31:07.112 hadn't seen a bunch of them in . 1516 01:31:07.112 --> 01:31:09.112 17 years and it was amazing hearing 01:31:09.112 --> 01:31:11.279 their stories but also their tragedies 01:31:11.279 --> 01:31:13.501 that service has cost um and we need to 01:31:13.501 --> 01:31:15.279 acknowledge that and so um very 01:31:15.279 --> 01:31:17.501 sincerely between the two of us we want 01:31:17.501 --> 01:31:19.668 to work with the army's leadership who 01:31:19.668 --> 01:31:21.890 also cares to fix these things and then 01:31:21.890 --> 01:31:23.946 just just to the waiver authority um 01:31:23.946 --> 01:31:25.890 for the United States Army I get a 01:31:25.890 --> 01:31:28.112 weekly report of waiver requests as far 01:31:28.112 --> 01:31:30.112 as I know we have always approved . 01:31:30.112 --> 01:31:32.168 Waivers for this type of position um 01:31:32.168 --> 01:31:34.335 and so we will look , um , but we will 01:31:34.335 --> 01:31:36.446 double down on our commitment to make 01:31:36.446 --> 01:31:38.668 sure we're not um accidentally blocking 01:31:38.668 --> 01:31:40.890 anybody from being hired . I appreciate 01:31:40.890 --> 01:31:40.870 that greatly . Can I , can I just add 01:31:40.870 --> 01:31:43.509 one thing , Senator we use Alaska is a 01:31:43.509 --> 01:31:45.842 perfect example , very tight knit group . 01:31:45.842 --> 01:31:47.842 People that are up there love it up 01:31:47.842 --> 01:31:50.009 there , but it has different needs and 01:31:50.009 --> 01:31:52.065 so that's the other thing that we're 01:31:52.065 --> 01:31:54.009 trying to do is look at areas very 01:31:54.009 --> 01:31:56.176 specifically . Um , you know what they 01:31:56.176 --> 01:31:58.287 need , uh , up there in Alaska , so I 01:31:58.287 --> 01:32:00.453 just throw that on because you know we 01:32:00.453 --> 01:32:02.565 put a lot of energy and making sure , 01:32:02.565 --> 01:32:04.398 um , you know , it's a different 01:32:04.398 --> 01:32:06.509 environment , um , in mostly positive 01:32:06.509 --> 01:32:08.676 ways , but making sure that we're also 01:32:08.676 --> 01:32:10.953 reinforcing it that way as well . Well , 01:32:10.953 --> 01:32:13.176 thank you for that general and you've , 01:32:13.176 --> 01:32:12.709 you've kind of teed into my next 01:32:12.709 --> 01:32:15.310 question , which is a focus on , on the 01:32:15.310 --> 01:32:17.310 Arctic , as I mentioned , the , the 01:32:17.310 --> 01:32:20.430 11th Airborne designated as an Arctic 01:32:20.430 --> 01:32:23.689 division . Um , uh , General McConville 01:32:23.689 --> 01:32:25.689 had said , he says , I expect every 01:32:25.689 --> 01:32:27.800 soldier of the division to be masters 01:32:27.800 --> 01:32:29.967 of their craft or Arctic warfare . The 01:32:29.967 --> 01:32:32.169 what what we continue to hear back is 01:32:32.169 --> 01:32:34.970 that it we haven't clearly defined what 01:32:34.970 --> 01:32:37.839 Arctic capable really means and whether 01:32:37.839 --> 01:32:41.439 or not they're properly resourced , um , 01:32:41.450 --> 01:32:43.729 or equipped for Arctic warfare and we 01:32:43.729 --> 01:32:46.370 can , we can cite to some of the some 01:32:46.370 --> 01:32:48.259 of the equipment that the uh cold 01:32:48.259 --> 01:32:50.810 weather allterrain vehicles , um . Uh , 01:32:50.890 --> 01:32:52.890 we don't know that we've got enough 01:32:52.890 --> 01:32:54.890 Black Hawks to move them , um , but 01:32:54.890 --> 01:32:56.930 some of it is just basic outfitting 01:32:56.930 --> 01:32:59.152 with , with cold temperature and Arctic 01:32:59.152 --> 01:33:02.689 protection , uh , systems , so I , I 01:33:02.689 --> 01:33:04.970 don't know if within the , the , the 01:33:04.970 --> 01:33:07.799 budget in front of us you can point out 01:33:07.799 --> 01:33:10.879 to me how the army's only Arctic 01:33:10.879 --> 01:33:14.419 division has what they . needed in 01:33:14.419 --> 01:33:17.759 order to be successful in this very 01:33:17.759 --> 01:33:19.979 specific mission specific to a region 01:33:19.979 --> 01:33:22.020 as you have pointed out uh General 01:33:22.020 --> 01:33:24.779 George . Yeah , so , um , Senator , we 01:33:24.779 --> 01:33:27.209 are like cold weather gear is a perfect 01:33:27.209 --> 01:33:29.265 example and haven't been up there in 01:33:29.265 --> 01:33:31.376 February when it's 40 below , there's 01:33:31.376 --> 01:33:33.542 obviously special equipment so I think 01:33:33.542 --> 01:33:35.709 you , we are buying CAT vis , um , you 01:33:35.709 --> 01:33:37.820 know , the discussion we're having up 01:33:37.820 --> 01:33:39.876 there and that's why we're trying to 01:33:39.876 --> 01:33:42.042 actually make headquarters adjustments 01:33:42.042 --> 01:33:44.209 up here . I do think that there's some 01:33:44.209 --> 01:33:45.987 areas we need to give different 01:33:45.987 --> 01:33:48.153 capability down to 11th airborne , you 01:33:48.153 --> 01:33:50.376 know , at the war fighting level as far 01:33:50.376 --> 01:33:52.376 as on the , you know , targeting or 01:33:52.376 --> 01:33:54.431 intel , and that's one of the things 01:33:54.431 --> 01:33:56.653 that we are that we are looking at with 01:33:56.653 --> 01:33:56.410 the changes that we're making now to 01:33:56.410 --> 01:33:58.720 reduce what we have going on . Um , 01:33:58.790 --> 01:34:00.790 here at this headquarters , but you 01:34:00.790 --> 01:34:02.846 know , I think we're , we do have an 01:34:02.846 --> 01:34:02.740 Arctic strategy . I think we're 01:34:02.740 --> 01:34:05.259 committed to do it , do that . We'll 01:34:05.259 --> 01:34:07.426 obviously review it . I don't think we 01:34:07.426 --> 01:34:09.648 don't have any plans right now to , you 01:34:09.648 --> 01:34:11.870 know , I think it's , it's pretty solid 01:34:11.870 --> 01:34:13.926 in what they're doing . We have been 01:34:13.926 --> 01:34:16.148 increasing our training at the , at the 01:34:16.148 --> 01:34:18.481 readiness center , um , that's up there , 01:34:18.481 --> 01:34:20.592 um , so we'll continue to do that and 01:34:20.592 --> 01:34:22.759 then we're looking at what we would do 01:34:22.759 --> 01:34:24.537 for whatever kind of additional 01:34:24.537 --> 01:34:26.426 equipment those soldiers are also 01:34:26.426 --> 01:34:28.537 they're very . Tough , hard , they do 01:34:28.537 --> 01:34:30.703 well deploying anywhere in the world , 01:34:30.703 --> 01:34:32.815 you know what additional equipment do 01:34:32.815 --> 01:34:34.815 we need to have for them if they're 01:34:34.815 --> 01:34:36.981 gonna go fulfill other missions , um , 01:34:36.981 --> 01:34:39.148 which we need them to be able to do to 01:34:39.148 --> 01:34:41.315 the earlier questions we don't predict 01:34:41.315 --> 01:34:43.315 where bad things happen . Thank you 01:34:43.315 --> 01:34:45.259 both . Thank you , Mr . Chairman . 01:34:45.259 --> 01:34:47.092 Senator Hogan , thank you , Mr . 01:34:47.092 --> 01:34:49.092 Chairman . Thank you both for being 01:34:49.092 --> 01:34:51.315 here and , and to all of you for your , 01:34:51.315 --> 01:34:53.315 uh , incredible service , uh , here 01:34:53.315 --> 01:34:55.537 today . I appreciate you so much . Uh , 01:34:55.537 --> 01:34:57.537 Mr . Secretary , I , I was governor 01:34:57.537 --> 01:34:59.592 before I came , uh , to the Senate , 01:34:59.592 --> 01:35:01.703 and , uh , any governor will tell you 01:35:01.703 --> 01:35:03.926 and probably has , uh , that the , uh , 01:35:03.926 --> 01:35:06.037 the guard , National Guard is a Swiss 01:35:06.037 --> 01:35:08.620 Army knife . I mean for all things 01:35:08.620 --> 01:35:10.842 military when , when you need them when 01:35:10.842 --> 01:35:12.810 we need them , but whether it's 01:35:12.810 --> 01:35:14.866 supporting law enforcement , whether 01:35:14.866 --> 01:35:17.032 it's any kind of flood fire , you name 01:35:17.032 --> 01:35:19.270 it . Uh , I , when I was governor , we 01:35:19.270 --> 01:35:21.437 had them out on the ice blowing up ice 01:35:21.437 --> 01:35:23.750 jams to protect the Bismarck , the 01:35:23.750 --> 01:35:25.861 capital , from flooding . Uh , by the 01:35:25.861 --> 01:35:28.149 same token , we had them with huge 640 01:35:28.149 --> 01:35:30.339 gallon dump buckets and , uh , Black 01:35:30.339 --> 01:35:32.339 Hawk helicopters saving small towns 01:35:32.339 --> 01:35:34.339 that would have burned . Out in the 01:35:34.339 --> 01:35:36.700 grasslands if they hadn't uh been there , 01:35:36.990 --> 01:35:38.768 uh , they're first on scene for 01:35:38.768 --> 01:35:40.601 hurricanes where hurricanes came 01:35:40.601 --> 01:35:42.323 through and just devastated uh 01:35:42.323 --> 01:35:44.459 communities and saving people's uh 01:35:44.459 --> 01:35:46.737 lives and property . They are true and , 01:35:46.737 --> 01:35:49.709 and they bring such a skill set . Um , 01:35:50.009 --> 01:35:52.810 truly they are a Swiss Army knife , uh , 01:35:52.899 --> 01:35:56.259 uh , and I wanna make sure that as the 01:35:56.259 --> 01:35:58.450 army goes through your , your , uh , 01:35:58.459 --> 01:36:01.060 transformative initiatives that the 01:36:01.060 --> 01:36:03.060 guard is brought along and has true 01:36:03.060 --> 01:36:05.282 parity in terms of all the training and 01:36:05.282 --> 01:36:07.171 all the weapon systems as well as 01:36:07.171 --> 01:36:09.393 access to education and advancement and 01:36:09.393 --> 01:36:11.504 everything else that , that the , you 01:36:11.504 --> 01:36:13.560 know , I should say and the reserves 01:36:13.560 --> 01:36:15.782 too . Uh , that the regular army , uh , 01:36:15.782 --> 01:36:17.893 has , and I , and I'd like to know if 01:36:17.893 --> 01:36:19.782 you're committed to that and your 01:36:19.782 --> 01:36:22.004 thoughts on it . Um , we are absolutely 01:36:22.004 --> 01:36:24.116 committed and , um , just to echo and 01:36:24.116 --> 01:36:26.338 add like , uh , another layer of nuance 01:36:26.338 --> 01:36:28.449 to what the guard does so well for us 01:36:28.449 --> 01:36:30.671 is General George and I were able to go 01:36:30.671 --> 01:36:32.671 talk to a lot of the victims of the 01:36:32.671 --> 01:36:34.893 Pasadena fires and then . The mountains 01:36:34.893 --> 01:36:34.850 of North Carolina flooding is where I'm 01:36:34.850 --> 01:36:36.906 from and so I've gotten to talk to a 01:36:36.906 --> 01:36:39.009 lot of people there and one of their 01:36:39.009 --> 01:36:41.549 most concrete experiences with the 01:36:41.549 --> 01:36:43.716 United States Army so if you just talk 01:36:43.716 --> 01:36:45.771 to a lot of Americans , the way that 01:36:45.771 --> 01:36:47.938 the army kind of reaches out and cares 01:36:47.938 --> 01:36:50.105 for them and loves them and shows them 01:36:50.105 --> 01:36:52.271 kind of that American spirit . Through 01:36:52.271 --> 01:36:54.216 their guard members who show up on 01:36:54.216 --> 01:36:56.327 their worst day and so , um , General 01:36:56.327 --> 01:36:58.327 George and I when we talk about the 01:36:58.327 --> 01:37:00.549 guard , we explicitly and very publicly 01:37:00.549 --> 01:37:02.716 say we want to treat them just like we 01:37:02.716 --> 01:37:04.882 are treating the regular army in these 01:37:04.882 --> 01:37:07.049 transformation initiatives and we want 01:37:07.049 --> 01:37:09.160 to empower them to continue to be the 01:37:09.160 --> 01:37:11.216 amazing asset that they are . Yeah , 01:37:11.216 --> 01:37:13.382 can I add a couple of comments to that 01:37:13.382 --> 01:37:15.605 one , Senator you might because I had , 01:37:15.605 --> 01:37:17.771 uh , you know , met with almost all of 01:37:17.771 --> 01:37:19.827 the tags before we made , you know , 01:37:19.827 --> 01:37:22.049 brought them in , told them what we the 01:37:22.049 --> 01:37:24.160 changes we're gonna make . There will 01:37:24.160 --> 01:37:26.438 be several of the brigade combat teams , 01:37:26.438 --> 01:37:28.549 so we're moving from infantry brigade 01:37:28.549 --> 01:37:30.605 combat team to mobile brigade combat 01:37:30.605 --> 01:37:32.771 teams . We wanna do that as fast as we 01:37:32.771 --> 01:37:34.979 can in the guard . Um , as well , and 01:37:34.979 --> 01:37:36.979 so they are identifying those units 01:37:36.979 --> 01:37:38.701 that will be able to do that . 01:37:38.701 --> 01:37:40.701 Obviously it's a little harder when 01:37:40.701 --> 01:37:42.979 you're not full time , you know , they , 01:37:42.979 --> 01:37:42.180 and they're doing , as you mentioned , 01:37:42.259 --> 01:37:45.419 they're very busy , um , so they won't 01:37:45.419 --> 01:37:47.419 look any different . They will have 01:37:47.419 --> 01:37:49.530 mobile brigade combat teams . They're 01:37:49.530 --> 01:37:51.752 gonna have the same systems and when we 01:37:51.752 --> 01:37:53.808 talk about this , it's for the whole 01:37:53.808 --> 01:37:53.540 army . So I just want to assure you 01:37:53.540 --> 01:37:55.540 that that's where we're at . Yeah , 01:37:55.540 --> 01:37:55.379 that's really important . I mean , 01:37:55.419 --> 01:37:57.641 we've had guard units in our state that 01:37:57.641 --> 01:37:59.930 are deployed almost every other year 01:37:59.930 --> 01:38:02.041 for the last 20 years in the war on . 01:38:02.041 --> 01:38:04.263 Care and guard members that have served 01:38:04.263 --> 01:38:06.740 probably 5 or more deployments . What I 01:38:06.740 --> 01:38:08.859 go to these ceremonies and I think 01:38:08.859 --> 01:38:10.803 there're some of them as many as 6 01:38:10.803 --> 01:38:12.581 deployments . So I mean they're 01:38:12.581 --> 01:38:14.415 integral to everything we do and 01:38:14.415 --> 01:38:16.470 obviously need to be right there and 01:38:16.470 --> 01:38:18.526 have , you know , complete parity uh 01:38:18.526 --> 01:38:20.660 with regular with big army . um the 01:38:20.660 --> 01:38:22.716 other thing I wanna bring up is , is 01:38:22.716 --> 01:38:25.290 drones , um . In North Dakota we 01:38:25.290 --> 01:38:27.512 actually have two Air Force bases . One 01:38:27.512 --> 01:38:29.568 is the only dual nuclear base in the 01:38:29.568 --> 01:38:31.734 country where we have B-52 bombers and 01:38:31.734 --> 01:38:35.080 also the ICBMs . And so we watched with , 01:38:35.089 --> 01:38:38.850 uh , frankly , um , amazement when 01:38:38.850 --> 01:38:42.759 Ukraine took out bombers across Russia 01:38:42.759 --> 01:38:46.379 with these drones . And we've got a 01:38:46.379 --> 01:38:48.620 very real problem in this country of 01:38:48.620 --> 01:38:50.842 vulnerability on our base . You've seen 01:38:50.842 --> 01:38:52.898 the stuff on Langley with the drones 01:38:52.898 --> 01:38:55.120 going over there , but it , it's really 01:38:55.120 --> 01:38:57.231 something we've got to address across 01:38:57.231 --> 01:38:59.231 country both drone in terms , and I 01:38:59.231 --> 01:39:01.287 know you've been asked this question 01:39:01.287 --> 01:39:03.509 about , you know , bringing drones into 01:39:03.629 --> 01:39:05.740 uh unmanned aircraft into the army in 01:39:05.740 --> 01:39:07.907 terms of an offensive capability we've 01:39:07.907 --> 01:39:09.907 seen the importance of that whether 01:39:09.907 --> 01:39:11.962 it's the Middle East or or Ukraine , 01:39:11.962 --> 01:39:14.129 Russia , whatever but counter drone is 01:39:14.129 --> 01:39:16.240 a huge , huge issue , and we're not . 01:39:16.240 --> 01:39:18.185 We're not prepared . Our bases are 01:39:18.185 --> 01:39:20.240 vulnerable . I'm talking about Econa 01:39:20.240 --> 01:39:22.073 now , more so probably even than 01:39:22.073 --> 01:39:24.296 overseas because overseas we shoot , we 01:39:24.296 --> 01:39:26.407 shoot them down . What do you do when 01:39:26.407 --> 01:39:28.518 you get on top at Grand Forks we do a 01:39:28.518 --> 01:39:30.740 lot of drone encounter drone , and we'd 01:39:30.740 --> 01:39:30.649 love to get you out there sometime . 01:39:30.779 --> 01:39:32.946 What are you doing on this and what do 01:39:32.946 --> 01:39:35.001 you need on counter drone protecting 01:39:35.001 --> 01:39:37.168 our bases ? I , I , I would agree with 01:39:37.168 --> 01:39:39.390 you , Senator . We have to move quickly 01:39:39.390 --> 01:39:41.390 on this . One of the things that we 01:39:41.390 --> 01:39:43.612 have submitted up , you know , a lot of 01:39:43.612 --> 01:39:45.779 times we don't own the airspace around 01:39:45.779 --> 01:39:48.112 that . So this is an issue with the FAA , 01:39:48.112 --> 01:39:50.223 FCC , um , so we have submitted , you 01:39:50.223 --> 01:39:52.446 know , for like 1:30 I that hasn't been 01:39:52.446 --> 01:39:54.668 updated in a while . I think we need to 01:39:54.668 --> 01:39:56.779 do that . Um , it gets back to how we 01:39:56.779 --> 01:39:58.835 buy things . I think we need to be a 01:39:58.835 --> 01:40:00.946 little bit more agile and the systems 01:40:00.946 --> 01:40:03.001 we're buying a lot of the , um , you 01:40:03.001 --> 01:40:04.946 know , how we're gonna operate the 01:40:04.946 --> 01:40:04.930 non-kinetic solutions . We've been 01:40:04.930 --> 01:40:07.097 trying to rapidly evolve those , but I 01:40:07.097 --> 01:40:09.097 agree with you that we gotta need , 01:40:09.097 --> 01:40:11.208 that we need to go quicker , um , put 01:40:11.208 --> 01:40:13.319 solutions out there and start working 01:40:13.319 --> 01:40:15.430 together . I mean , it's not just our 01:40:15.430 --> 01:40:15.089 problem too , it's gonna be a problem 01:40:15.089 --> 01:40:18.810 for police . Um , you know , everybody 01:40:18.810 --> 01:40:20.977 really with large gatherings , I think 01:40:20.977 --> 01:40:23.169 drones are , are now inside of our 01:40:23.169 --> 01:40:25.169 communities and we're gonna have to 01:40:25.169 --> 01:40:27.336 focus on this . Well , if there's , if 01:40:27.336 --> 01:40:29.669 there's legislation that would help you , 01:40:29.669 --> 01:40:31.836 I , I'd sure like to get it from you . 01:40:31.836 --> 01:40:34.113 And I , I would just echo Senator , uh , 01:40:34.113 --> 01:40:36.336 for the we in all of our meetings we've 01:40:36.336 --> 01:40:35.930 tried to stress this . This is the 01:40:35.930 --> 01:40:37.874 threat of our lifetime . Um , what 01:40:37.874 --> 01:40:39.874 General George was saying this will 01:40:39.874 --> 01:40:41.930 impact local law enforcement it will 01:40:41.930 --> 01:40:43.986 impact our border , KOUS OCOUS , our 01:40:43.986 --> 01:40:46.097 bases around the world . Um , we have 01:40:46.097 --> 01:40:46.080 got to all work together to fix this 01:40:46.080 --> 01:40:48.136 right now because Operation Spider's 01:40:48.136 --> 01:40:49.969 Web , I mean , the , the cost to 01:40:49.969 --> 01:40:51.802 Ukraine was tens of thousands of 01:40:51.802 --> 01:40:54.959 dollars and the damage done was . $8 to 01:40:54.959 --> 01:40:57.720 $10 billion and then um we , we need to 01:40:57.720 --> 01:40:59.942 be ready . Then finally , I'd just like 01:40:59.942 --> 01:41:02.220 to to thank you for the incredible job . 01:41:03.129 --> 01:41:04.907 That our administration and our 01:41:04.907 --> 01:41:06.573 military is doing in terms of 01:41:06.573 --> 01:41:10.229 supporting uh Israel and taking out an 01:41:10.229 --> 01:41:13.069 existential threat that is the nuclear 01:41:13.069 --> 01:41:15.479 program that Iran has thank you for the 01:41:15.479 --> 01:41:17.535 incredible job that you're doing . I 01:41:17.535 --> 01:41:19.312 can't , you can't overstate how 01:41:19.312 --> 01:41:21.790 incredibly important it is . Thank you . 01:41:25.729 --> 01:41:29.399 Similarly , um , you know , for years 01:41:29.729 --> 01:41:31.490 we've watched , um , 01:41:34.970 --> 01:41:38.549 The use of long range fires and 01:41:38.549 --> 01:41:41.899 um Drones as we were just discussing . 01:41:43.299 --> 01:41:45.521 In both the Middle East conflict and in 01:41:45.521 --> 01:41:48.009 Ukraine , certainly gotten our 01:41:48.009 --> 01:41:51.620 attention . As to why in the world , we 01:41:51.620 --> 01:41:53.859 haven't been able to produce them more 01:41:53.859 --> 01:41:56.040 rapidly , because we've had 01:41:57.609 --> 01:42:00.379 Several years here of observation about 01:42:00.990 --> 01:42:03.439 how much that's gonna be involved in 01:42:03.439 --> 01:42:06.310 warfare in the future . And in the 01:42:06.310 --> 01:42:10.129 present . Um , why do you think we 01:42:10.759 --> 01:42:14.700 don't have enough ? Uh , I , I'll kick 01:42:14.700 --> 01:42:17.890 off . I , I'd say , um , drones and our 01:42:17.890 --> 01:42:19.834 inability to manufacture them as a 01:42:19.834 --> 01:42:23.700 nation are , um , why we 01:42:23.700 --> 01:42:25.478 believe the Army Transformation 01:42:25.478 --> 01:42:27.422 initiative is so important , and I 01:42:27.422 --> 01:42:29.589 think what we would say is this , this 01:42:29.589 --> 01:42:31.811 system has been hollowed out for a long 01:42:31.811 --> 01:42:33.811 time . We have had a hard time as a 01:42:33.811 --> 01:42:35.978 nation figuring out how to spend these 01:42:35.978 --> 01:42:37.867 incredible resources that are the 01:42:37.867 --> 01:42:40.089 American taxpayers' dollars efficiently 01:42:40.089 --> 01:42:42.200 and effectively . We have basically . 01:42:42.200 --> 01:42:44.200 Um , crushed our defense industrial 01:42:44.200 --> 01:42:46.229 base and gotten it down to sub 10 01:42:46.229 --> 01:42:48.118 number of companies that can even 01:42:48.118 --> 01:42:50.396 afford to do business with us at scale . 01:42:50.396 --> 01:42:52.562 And since the threat level has changed 01:42:52.562 --> 01:42:54.879 so rapidly , all of those bad habits 01:42:54.879 --> 01:42:57.101 that we've developed in the last couple 01:42:57.101 --> 01:42:59.435 of decades are now coming home to roost , 01:42:59.435 --> 01:43:01.729 and we all have to work together , um , 01:43:01.959 --> 01:43:04.120 as we are hopefully doing now to 01:43:04.120 --> 01:43:06.240 basically . Fixed this threat and 01:43:06.240 --> 01:43:08.407 empower small and medium businesses to 01:43:08.407 --> 01:43:10.351 innovate and scale with the United 01:43:10.351 --> 01:43:12.462 States Army knowing that one solution 01:43:12.462 --> 01:43:14.684 will not fit all in this and actually a 01:43:14.684 --> 01:43:16.629 diversity of solutions is what the 01:43:16.629 --> 01:43:18.684 right solution will be in the future 01:43:18.684 --> 01:43:20.684 and that a program of record is the 01:43:20.684 --> 01:43:22.851 exact opposite way to do it , but it's 01:43:22.851 --> 01:43:24.851 hard because the muscle memory that 01:43:24.851 --> 01:43:27.018 we've developed in that Pentagon is um 01:43:27.018 --> 01:43:29.129 we have some hard conversations every 01:43:29.129 --> 01:43:31.129 day . I , I would add , Senator , I 01:43:31.129 --> 01:43:33.296 mean , it's parts . I think we came up 01:43:33.296 --> 01:43:35.296 with this earlier , you know , this 01:43:35.296 --> 01:43:37.462 blue list so you know , DJI produces , 01:43:37.462 --> 01:43:39.462 I think I've mentioned this to your 01:43:39.462 --> 01:43:41.351 team , you know , they produce 15 01:43:41.351 --> 01:43:43.407 million drones , 50,000 get produced 01:43:43.407 --> 01:43:45.462 here , you know , everybody is using 01:43:45.462 --> 01:43:47.573 drones , so I think this gets back to 01:43:47.573 --> 01:43:49.740 some of the industrial-based thing . I 01:43:49.740 --> 01:43:51.684 think we have to get after some of 01:43:51.684 --> 01:43:53.629 these parts , you know , brushless 01:43:53.629 --> 01:43:55.573 motors , uh , flight controllers , 01:43:55.573 --> 01:43:57.740 wiring harness , you know , antennas . 01:43:57.740 --> 01:43:59.851 There's different things that I think 01:43:59.851 --> 01:44:01.907 that we . Um , and that's what we're 01:44:01.907 --> 01:44:04.018 looking , looking to do and it and it 01:44:04.018 --> 01:44:06.073 does get back to the agile funding , 01:44:06.073 --> 01:44:08.407 then we can produce a lot of those , um , 01:44:08.407 --> 01:44:10.462 3D print and do those other things , 01:44:10.462 --> 01:44:12.407 but we can't get locked into where 01:44:12.407 --> 01:44:14.518 we're buying one specific drone , you 01:44:14.518 --> 01:44:16.573 know , forever , which is what we've 01:44:16.573 --> 01:44:15.870 tried to do with our , you know , 01:44:16.029 --> 01:44:18.196 transforming and contact units is that 01:44:18.196 --> 01:44:20.085 we buy in tranches , modular open 01:44:20.085 --> 01:44:22.196 system architecture , and then we can 01:44:22.196 --> 01:44:24.418 adapt and , and update them and we're , 01:44:24.418 --> 01:44:26.870 we're working that um with uh your team . 01:44:27.370 --> 01:44:29.319 Well , I hope so because obviously 01:44:29.319 --> 01:44:32.200 they're pretty cheap . You get a lot of 01:44:32.200 --> 01:44:35.479 bang for the buck . Senator Coons , 01:44:35.819 --> 01:44:38.041 thank you , Chairman , and um thank you 01:44:38.041 --> 01:44:40.263 for this constructive hearing . Um , in 01:44:40.263 --> 01:44:42.541 reading through your written testimony , 01:44:42.541 --> 01:44:44.652 uh , I was interested in the infantry 01:44:44.652 --> 01:44:46.708 squad vehicle and the description of 01:44:46.708 --> 01:44:48.541 its modularity and ease of being 01:44:48.541 --> 01:44:50.652 updated and particularly was drawn to 01:44:50.652 --> 01:44:53.020 AMC developing containerized , uh , 01:44:53.069 --> 01:44:55.259 additive manufacturing shops that can 01:44:55.259 --> 01:44:57.259 be forward deployed , that can help 01:44:57.259 --> 01:44:59.370 with parts and maintenance . Um , I , 01:44:59.370 --> 01:45:01.592 I've just been really struck at how the 01:45:01.592 --> 01:45:03.890 Ukrainians have managed to keep in the 01:45:03.890 --> 01:45:06.569 fight and to service and to repair and 01:45:06.569 --> 01:45:09.529 redeploy dozens of different systems . 01:45:09.649 --> 01:45:11.593 I mean , Europe is not efficient . 01:45:11.593 --> 01:45:13.593 There's a dozen different tanks , a 01:45:13.593 --> 01:45:15.482 dozen different armored personnel 01:45:15.482 --> 01:45:17.371 carriers , and they've managed to 01:45:17.371 --> 01:45:19.538 MacGyver their way into standing up to 01:45:19.538 --> 01:45:21.649 a much bigger . Um , uh , adversary , 01:45:21.709 --> 01:45:23.876 we obviously have been a critical part 01:45:23.876 --> 01:45:25.820 of that . We've talked a lot about 01:45:25.820 --> 01:45:27.765 drones , counter drones , EW , but 01:45:27.765 --> 01:45:29.820 there's also critical lessons here . 01:45:29.820 --> 01:45:31.820 I'm encouraged that you're learning 01:45:31.820 --> 01:45:34.042 them . I look forward to working , uh , 01:45:34.042 --> 01:45:36.265 with the chairman to make sure that the 01:45:36.265 --> 01:45:38.431 ATI actually is fully briefed and that 01:45:38.431 --> 01:45:40.431 we give meaningful and timely input 01:45:40.431 --> 01:45:42.598 back , uh , but we've got a lot to get 01:45:42.598 --> 01:45:42.109 after here if we're gonna actually 01:45:42.109 --> 01:45:44.276 deliver , uh , the fighting force that 01:45:44.276 --> 01:45:46.387 our nation needs and deserves . Thank 01:45:46.387 --> 01:45:48.498 you . Thank you , Mr . Chairman . All 01:45:48.498 --> 01:45:50.720 right . I want to thank both of you for 01:45:50.720 --> 01:45:53.169 being here . Thanks for your service 01:45:53.500 --> 01:45:56.299 and your testimony . Members of the 01:45:56.299 --> 01:45:58.521 subcommittee will have a week to submit 01:45:58.521 --> 01:46:00.632 additional questions for the record . 01:46:01.359 --> 01:46:03.870 And senators may submit additional 01:46:03.870 --> 01:46:06.029 written questions and we ask that you 01:46:06.029 --> 01:46:08.790 respond to them within 30 days of 01:46:08.790 --> 01:46:10.679 receiving them . Subcommittee now 01:46:10.679 --> 01:46:13.299 stands in recess , so to call the chair .