Calvert Remarks at Budget Hearing on the United States Army
Today, the Subcommittee will receive testimony on the posture of the United States Army.
First, I would like to welcome our two witnesses:
- Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, and
- General Christopher LaNeve, the Acting Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.
Mr. Secretary, thank you for joining us once again. General LaNeve, I’ll note that this is your first appearance before this Subcommittee. Welcome, and we look forward to hearing from you. The United States Army remains the preeminent fighting force in the world. Today, we face a multitude of threats from across the globe that only grow in complexity and scale. As threats evolve, it is imperative that we prioritize investments that not only contribute to current readiness, but also provide us with a decisive advantage on any future battlefield.
Against this backdrop, the Army’s continuous transformation efforts to become a leaner, more lethal force are being tested. Such threats have been nowhere more visible than what we have witnessed as a result of Operation Epic Fury. Our ability to intercept and defeat sophisticated missile threats has been tested by the proliferation of low-cost one-way attack drones used to overwhelm air and missile defense systems. Unfortunately, we have suffered the threats of not addressing this technology as we continue to mourn the six U.S. soldiers who were killed last month in Kuwait due to an Iranian drone strike. I understand the Army has invested close to $1 billion in counter-UAS capabilities this fiscal year, and I am interested in learning more about how you intend to get these systems into the hands of the warfighter soonest.
Recent conflicts in the Central Command theater of operations have also underscored the need for low-cost, mass munitions. While our most exquisite munitions have proven successful on the battlefield, we must also invest in capabilities that drive the cost curve down. In order to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex security environment, including future events that may unfold in the Indo-Pacific, we must obtain and sustain the ability to field affordable effectors at volume.
The Army has also made significant bets in aviation to maintain relevance in a potential conflict in the Pacific. The budget request includes over $2 billion to accelerate the fielding of the MV-75 aircraft in favor of legacy aircraft programs. I look forward to hearing how the Army plans on achieving this objective both on time and on budget to secure greater operational access in the Indo-Pacific theater.
Lastly, the ability to rapidly procure and deliver cutting-edge technologies and capabilities depends on a manufacturing base that can scale and flex when called to. This Subcommittee has made historic investments to reduce the fragility of our lower-tier suppliers and non-traditional manufacturers responsible for the production of critical components that enable lethality on the battlefield. I hope you will discuss today how your fiscal year 2027 budget plans to address this challenge to maximize capacity of the industrial base.
With that, I recognize the distinguished Ranking Member, Ms. McCollum, for her opening remarks.
