SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (April 21, 2026) – With instrumental support from industry partners, the 25th Infantry Division accelerated its digital kill chain in just three months using advanced AI-driven technologies.

As part of the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) “commercial first” effort, the division joins the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) to prototype modern technologies that make data more usable and accessible to commanders across all the warfighting function technologies.

NGC2 provides a “full stack” capability ecosystem, comprised from the top-down of Apps, Data/AI, Infrastructure, and Transport capabilities. Integrating AI into the NGC2 stack will enhance the Army’s competitive advantage, however, Army leaders emphasize that at no time will commanders lose their autonomy while conducting missions.

“AI will continue to be a decision aid, and accelerate the decision cycle, not replace commanders, who will make the final judgement calls,” said Brig. Gen Shane Taylor, Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN).

Through a series of operational exercises, Ivy Stings for the 4ID and Lightning Surges for the 25th Infantry Division (25ID), Soldiers continue to identify in real time which technologies aid the mission, and which need improvement.

“The Soldier’s feedback is the most important product we generate,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Batule, 25ID Innovation Officer. “The Soldiers in the TOC [Tactical Operations Center] and on the gunline are the ones who tell us, in real time, if this is making us more lethal. Their direct input is what informs every single software update and ensures we are building the right tools for the fight.”

During the time between Lightning Surge 1 and Lightning Surge 2, division leadership, artillery (DIVARTY), and technical staff stated they achieved a digital end-to-end workflow that accelerated the fires process by integrating four key commercial capabilities within the NGC2 stack: An advanced data platform supported by an AI mission system; modern, automated target workflow software; enhanced electronic warfare capabilities and 5G data transport.

“From a technology perspective, ‘commercial first’ means the tech is available to everybody,” Taylor said. “It’s only as good as our ability to rapidly inject it, train it, field it and then replace it with the next solution right behind it.”

This full-speed-ahead iteration and integration approach is ensuring the Army arrives at best-of-breed commercial solutions tailorable to any unit’s mission, including the contested environment across the Pacific theater’s tyranny of distance.

“We have to move out very quickly and iterate fast,” said Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, 25ID commanding general. “That’s exactly why our model is—experiment with it, train with it, and then deploy it forward into the terrain with our allies to both assure them and deter our adversaries.”

Refined data, modern fires app

The division’s call for fires chain consists of forward observers identifying a potential target and transmitting target data to the Fires Direction Center, allowing the fires direction officer to calculate if, when, and how to engage kinetic fires.

Industry teams and division personnel collaborated to accelerate this process by establishing a prototype, AI-aided data platform integrated with the Army’s new app-based, data-centric fires command and control system, called the Artillery Execution Suite, or AXS.

During the event, forward observers used hand-held devices to extract data from the edge sensors – both on the ground and in the air – which was ingested into the data platform and then simultaneously into AXS. New algorithms calculated the specific type of data ingested from the sensors to publish to the DIVARTY common operational picture.

“We are now at a place where we are feeding all the data into the data platform,” said Maj. Rebecca Borrebach, 25ID G6 data officer. “Our data is accessible, and now an application can subscribe to the data it needs.”

Controlling the electronic spectrum

Before the forward observers can confidently share information on a potential target, the commander must conduct an Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) assessment to identify and understand what signals an adversary may be transmitting to interrupt the mission.

“Almost all warfighting functions need access to EW data,” said Cpt. Curtis Hart, assistant product manager for the Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT).

“Aviators want to know where they can fly without their GPS navigation being degraded. Artillerymen want to know where they can employ precision-guided munitions without interference. Ground maneuver forces want to know where they can expect radio transmissions to be unreliable,” he said.

NGC2 allows this data, previously only readily available to the CEMA [Cyber Electromagnetic Activities] cell, to be widely disseminated and used by these sister warfighting functions, he said.

“With the eventual addition of AI, I feel confident that the data my EW team aggregates will inform commanders and their staffs throughout the division,” said CW2(P) Kris Perez, Electromagnetic Warfare Technician, 25ID. “This will enable them to make more timely, informed decisions, which will increase the division’s lethality.”

5G-Transport Diversity

Unlike the 4ID, which is prototyping NGC2’s full stack, the 25ID is primarily prototyping the data and application software on top of its previously fielded modern “C2 Fix” transport and infrastructure. However, the NGC2 prototype effort provided flexibility for the unit and industry teams to experiment with desired capabilities, based on the division’s missions, including the need to operate in the degraded environments often encountered in the Indo-Pacific.

“Our focus for Lightning Surge 2 was the ‘first mile, last mile’ challenge,” said Lt. Col. Adam Brinkman, 25ID G6. “We used what we learned from our last event to upgrade the launchers and guns with better radios and private 5G, which gives the commander more resilient options to get a fire mission from the sensor all the way to the shooter at the tactical edge.”

For the first time in the Army, private 5G served as the primary pathway to travel from the fires direction officer to the guns, with modern satellite radios available as the secondary transport.

“We are implementing incremental lessons learned from the 4ID, where its personnel viewed the fires chain using 5G in one of its previous NGC2 Ivy Sting events,” said Lt. Col. Clarke Brown, product manager for Network Modernization, Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN). “Pushing the capability to actually transport the call for fires down to the field artillery Soldiers was an exciting accomplishment for the unit.”

Conclusion

The Lightning Surge and Ivy Sting exercises continue to leverage data and AI technologies that deliver information across all warfighting functions to enhance commanders’ decision making.

According to Bartholomees, the Lightning Surge events are more than exercises; rather, they are “rehearsals” as he leads his division into multi-national Indo-Pacific exercises to train in real-life electromagnetic, cyber, distance and denied environment challenges.

“We exercise in the Hawaiian Islands across the archipelago so we can then project those forces into the first island chain within the Philippines,” Bartholomees said. “Our next Lightning Surge series will be in conjunction with Philippines joint and combined exercises, in which we’ll be able to put all this together and really test out the concepts that Next Generation C2 is delivering.”

By Kathryn Bailey, CPE C2IN Public Communications Directorate

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PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – In a significant leap forward for battlefield technology, U.S. Army Infantry Drone Operators have successfully tested a new warhead designed to be delivered by an unmanned aerial system (UAS).
The live-fire demonstration of the Bunker Rupture and Kinetic Explosive Round (BRAKER), which took place at a Redstone Arsenal in Alabama on March 26, comes only weeks after the initial design and rapid prototyping of the system, showcasing the Army’s accelerated approach to innovation in the face of evolving threats.

VIDEO BELOW:

The Army continuously transforms by using the latest technologies for warfighting advantage, and ensures that the force is lethal, modern and ready. The development of this air-delivered munition directly supports that mission as well as two senior leader priorities in Readiness and Transformation.

SLOW-MOTION VIDEO BELOW:

The BRAKER project, led by a team from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center and Project Manager Close Combat Systems (PM CCS), a project office under the U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E), aimed to create a lightweight, powerful, and lethal warhead that could be deployed from a small, agile drone.

“Our Picatinny team went from concept to live-fire in two weeks,” said Col. Vincent Morris, PM CCS. “BRAKER proves our ability to rapidly develop and safely deliver devastating effects from small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). We are now creating the architecture with Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit (CLIK) and the small universal payload interface (sUPI) for industry to scale this critical warfighter advantage.”

The Picatinny CLIK is a safe and effective method for integrating lethal payloads with UAS platforms, designed and developed by DEVCOM Armaments Center engineers.

The rapid development-to-testing timeline of BRAKER was made possible by the Army’s emphasis on additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.

Beginning in early March, Armaments Center engineers began design, explosive pressing, housing manufacture, and integration of the warhead to be used on a low-cost and expendable one-way attack drone.

Shortly thereafter, transfer and compatibility tests were conducted at Picatinny and approximately a dozen warheads were assembled, with one being tested on a makeshift bunker on one of the installation’s test ranges.

After proving worthiness and validating effectiveness, the prototype warheads departed Picatinny for Redstone where a live demonstration was conducted for U.S. Army leadership.

The successful detonation of the device deployed on a drone on a designated target demonstrates a new and potent capability for the modern warfighter and illustrates how engineers can quickly design, fabricate, and integrate hardware to meet urgent and compelling needs.

“Rapid demonstrations of overwhelming lethality such as BRAKER are attributed to years of continued technology investments and the organic core technical competencies and facilities resident at the DEVCOM Armaments Center,” said Anthony Sebasto, Executive Director, Munitions Engineering and Technology Center.

By Eric Kowal

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on Sunday, April 26th, 2026 at 00:00 and is filed under Army, Drone, Guest Post, Munitions.
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. – In a historic first, the U.S. Army’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school at Fort Rucker partnered with U.S. Army South from March 14-18, 2026 to successfully execute a large-scale reintegration exercise, simulating the mass return of service members from a large-scale combat operation.

The landmark exercise processed nearly 50 students acting as returned prisoners of war (POWs), the largest reintegration since Operation Homecoming in 1973. It was the first event of its kind to include a mass Phase I medical triage and time-sensitive debriefings for all returnees, moving reintegration planning from a theoretical concept to a practical, battle-tested framework.

Maj. Tracy Beegen, US Army SERE School Psychologist and Chief of Human Factors, was named “Hero of the Battlefield” for her pivotal role in the initiative. Beegen initiated the concept with US Army Southern Command and orchestrated the complex, multi-service effort that brought together personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force to build a comprehensive reintegration plan from the ground up.

The intense, real-world simulation pressure-tested the entire reintegration process, successfully identifying critical friction points in handling numerous returning POWs. Key outcomes of the exercise included the development of a triage system to assess personnel for a return to duty and the creation of new tactics, techniques and procedures, or TTPs, for intelligence gathering from group interviews.

The event was truly a joint effort, engaging units from the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the U.S. Army SERE School. The exercise also trained SERE specialists from the Air Force and Navy, alongside SERE psychologists, for the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command Reintegration Team.

As a result of the training, the team is now mission-ready for Phase I and II reintegration in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, as well as for service-level Phase III responsibilities. Furthermore, the Soldiers who were debriefed can now share their valuable experiences with their home units to increase readiness across the force.

Thanks to MAJ Beegen’s initiative and the collaborative efforts of multiple military branches—including the U.S. Army SERE School’s Human Factors and Medical Team—theoretical plans have been replaced by field-tested TTPs. The Department of Army and the broader joint force are now significantly more prepared for the challenges of large-scale combat operations, ensuring a proven, joint process to bring warriors home, reunite them with their families and return them to the fight when able.

By Lisa Foote

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on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 at 20:00 and is filed under Army, Guest Post, SERE.
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WEST POINT, N.Y. — Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy are enhancing battlefield adaptability with a new weapon mount that increases the versatility of the Army’s next-generation M250 automatic rifle. In support of the 2026 Projects Day Research Symposium focus on supporting the warfighter, cadets in the Small Caliber Weapon Mount capstone design team developed solutions for real-world applications.

Through collaboration between the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering alongside the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, cadets developed an innovative approach to employ the M250 Automatic Rifle on the M192 tripod. Their objective was to create a reliable, lightweight and durable device that enables tripod compatibility with the newly fielded M250 while maintaining compatibility with legacy M249 and M240 machine guns and requiring no permanent modifications to the existing equipment.

Through live-fire testing, the team collected strain and durability data on their prototype tripod adapters, evaluating performance under representative battlefield conditions. The team also designed and tested a belt deflector system to ensure consistent weapon function during sustained fire. Their solutions prioritize reliability, durability, and ease of use in combat environments.

By making the M192 tripod universally compatible with the M240, M249 and M250, this project enhances weapon versatility, reduces logistical burden and increases Soldier lethality at the squad level. Soldiers can seamlessly transition the M250 between bipod and tripod configurations, improving adaptability and effectiveness on the modern battlefield.

“This new design increases Soldier mobility with the M250 automatic rifle by enabling rapid transitions between mounted and dismounted configurations while maintaining the ability to attach an ammunition sack directly to the weapon,” said Cadet Noah Winters, class of 2026. “This capability enhances operational flexibility and provides the Soldier with a wider range of employment options across varying mission requirements.”

The Small Caliber Weapon Mount capstone design team is part of West Point’s 27th annual Projects Day Research Symposium, which showcases hundreds of cadet-led research projects.

Learn more about Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering select project features and how to partner with West Point at West Point Werx website.

By Jana Scardigno Marketing and Outreach Specialist, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

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on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 at 17:00 and is filed under Army, Guest Post, weapons.
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PICATINNY ARSENAL, NJ – The U.S. Army’s Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E), headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is spearheading a major transformation of the nation’s small?caliber ammunition industrial base, advancing one of the Army’s highest modernization priorities. Central to this effort is the delivery of next?generation 6.8mm cartridges that will equip soldiers with increased range, accuracy, and battlefield lethality as part of the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program.

The NGSW program, featuring the M7 Rifle, XM8 Carbine, and M250 Automatic Rifle, represents the Army’s most significant small?arms upgrade in decades, replacing the M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. These new weapons, enabled by advanced 6.8mm cartridges, are designed to provide decisive overmatch in operating environments.

To accelerate production and strengthen readiness, Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS), in partnership with Project Lead Joint Services (PL JS), has established an interim 6.8mm manufacturing capability at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) utilizing a mix of new and repurposed equipment. As of March 2026, operating contractor Olin Winchester is producing and delivering 6.8mm ammunition from this capability. The Army is also supplying projectiles from this interim line to SIG Sauer to support additional cartridge deliveries while LCAAP expansion continues.

CPE A&E is executing a long-term modernization strategy to ensure the Army’s ammunition needs are met well into the future. A key milestone was the February 2025 groundbreaking for a new 450,000?square?foot 6.8mm production facility at LCAAP. This state-of-the-art complex will house advanced manufacturing systems for every component of the 6.8mm cartridge and serves as a cornerstone of the Army’s organic industrial base modernization. Construction remains on schedule, with production equipment installation anticipated to begin in 2028.

“CPE A&E is leading the development, procurement, and fielding of cutting-edge ammunition and energetics ensuring the Army and its international partners maintain a significant technological advantage,” said Col. Jason Bohannon, Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics. “The work being executed is foundational to advancing the Army’s modernization goals and ensuring combat readiness across the force.”

By Laura Emanski and Robert Goetz

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on Saturday, April 25th, 2026 at 00:00 and is filed under Acquisition, Army, Guest Post.
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Lenexa, KS (April, 2026) – Athlon Optics introduces the Ares HLR, a lightweight, precision-built riflescope designed for hunters who cover ground, hunt long hours, and demand repeatable performance when the moment matters most. Built around a rugged one-piece 30mm aircraft-grade aluminum tube and weighing as little as 18.9 ounces, the Ares HLR delivers high-end optical performance without adding unnecessary weight to your rifle.

Purpose-built for Western spot-and-stalk hunters, backcountry adventurers, and anyone prioritizing mobility without sacrificing capability, the Ares HLR brings together ultra-premium fully multi-coated glass, an illuminated reticle, and exposed precision turrets for confident adjustments in the field. Whether dialing for distance on a high-country mule deer or making a fast correction on a coyote crossing an open field, the Ares HLR is engineered to perform under real hunting conditions.

The Ares HLR features a refined exposed turret system designed for positive, tactile adjustments and reliable return to zero, giving hunters confidence when making elevation corrections at extended ranges. Combined with exceptional light transmission and edge-to-edge clarity, the optic maintains visibility and detail from first light through the final minutes of legal shooting time.

Despite its advanced feature set, the Ares HLR remains impressively lightweight. The 2.5-15×42 model weighs just 18.9 ounces, making it an ideal choice for ounce-counting hunters and long treks into the backcountry. The 4-24×50 model comes in at approximately 21 ounces, offering additional magnification for longer-range applications while still maintaining a highly portable profile.

Available Models:
The Ares HLR is offered in six models across two configurations. The 2.5-15×42 is available in three reticle options: AHMC1 Fiber Dot SFP IR MOA, APLR-H2 SFP IR MOA, and APRS-H2 SFP IR MIL, each priced at $962.49. The 4-24×50 is also available in AHMC1 Fiber Dot SFP IR MOA, APLR-H2 SFP IR MOA, and APRS-H2 SFP IR MIL configurations, each priced at $1,062.49. All models feature a 30mm tube, illuminated reticles, and exposed turrets for precise dialing.

All Ares HLR models are available now through authorized Athlon Optics dealers. For more information, visit athlonoptics.com.

This entry was posted
on Friday, April 24th, 2026 at 20:00 and is filed under Optics, Press Release.
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Tiberius Aerospace, a modern defence technology company built to empower the UK, US and their global allies with next-generation weapon systems and AI-powered solutions, has successfully demonstrated, for the first time, that a liquid-fuelled ramjet projectile can be launched from a NATO-standard 155mm howitzer, achieve ramjet ignition and perform as intended in flight. This liquid fuel breakthrough, achieved during recent test firings of its Sceptre system in New Mexico, represents a fundamental shift in what artillery systems are capable of delivering on the modern battlefield.

Sceptre is a 155mm precision-guided munition designed for full compatibility with existing NATO-standard artillery systems. The latest round of testing confirmed that it can reach ranges of up to 150 kilometres, travel at speeds of approximately Mach 3.5 and operate at altitudes exceeding 65,000 feet beyond typical jamming range. It delivers a 5.2kg payload with a circular error probability (CEP) of less than 5 metres, even in GPS-contested environments, and requires no modifications to current artillery platforms. The system is designed with a modular, open architecture that allows for continuous upgrades and uses widely available fuels such as diesel variants (JP-4 and JP-8), reducing the logistical burden associated with deployment.

A critical milestone in these trials was the successful ignition of the liquid-fuelled ramjet following exposure to launch forces of approximately 18,000 g, alongside the validation of stable flight dynamics, controlled rotation and the effective deployment of in-flight stabilisation systems.

Together, these results demonstrate that the technology is not only viable in theory but can function reliably in operationally relevant conditions. In practical terms, this successful test firing shows that it is now possible to combine the long range and speed typically associated with missile systems with significant cost savings, flexibility and the deployability of traditional artillery. This creates a new category of capability that sits between conventional artillery and high-end missile systems, addressing a long-standing gap in military capability.

While missile systems provide range and accuracy, they remain expensive and constrained in supply. Conventional artillery, by contrast, is scalable and cost-effective but limited in range and capability. Sceptre bridges this gap by offering missile-like performance while retaining the production advantages and flexibility of artillery systems. When enabled by Tiberius Aerospace’s AI-powered GRAIL platform, Sceptre has the potential to materially increase the volume of precision firepower available to allied forces, reduce reliance on high-cost missile inventories and enable faster, more scalable production at a time when industrial capacity is under strain. Crucially, the system is designed to support licensed domestic manufacturing, enabling allied nations to produce Sceptre within their own industrial base, strengthening sovereign capability, shortening supply chains and accelerating time to field. It also supports a shift towards more resilient, sovereign and distributed manufacturing models across allied defence ecosystems.

Chad Steelberg, Founder and CEO of Tiberius Aerospace, said: “This is a genuine world first breakthrough. These tests prove not only the technology, but a new way of delivering capability at pace, at scale and at significantly lower cost. Having successfully proved our design and engineering methodologies, we now need to move to much larger ranges to deliver the next phase of testing, validation and certification. Sceptre is an ambitious and complex project, but these successful US test firing results prove we are quickly advancing along the right trajectory.”

This entry was posted
on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 at 20:00 and is filed under Ammo, Industry, International, Press Release.
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Researching for a presentation I gave last summer at the National Defense Industrial Association Future Forces Conferences on robotics and drones I realized that while the US Army is working diligently to field drones in large numbers, it’s just a drop in the bucket once they figure out how many ground robotic systems they’ll need. To illustrate my point I explained that at the time, the US Army had an inventory of around 3,900 aircraft and 700 enduring capability drones. Meanwhile, there were ~420,000 ground vehicles making it about 11:1 ground to air systems. I expect we’ll see a similar ratio of ground to air robotics once the capability fully settles into the enterprise and those ground robots will take many forms and perform many duties. This capability is just the beginning.

According to a Special Notice released last week, Capability Program Executive (CPE) Mission Autonomy is actively pursuing a UGV designed to autonomously support maneuver formations in the critical “last tactical mile”. This advanced UGV, owned by maneuver formations, will both sustain Platoon and Company formations by delivering essential supplies/energy and will evacuate wounded personnel from the point of injury to a casualty collection point. This dual use UGV shall feature a configurable payload to meet the dynamic needs of maneuver formations.

The UGV must be capable of teleoperation, autonomous navigation, and beyond-line-of-sight communications, and execute resupply and CASEVAC missions with minimal reconfiguration.

The modern battlefield is characterized by persistent enemy surveillance and rapid application of lethal effects at and behind the forward line of troops (FLOT), making any movement to and from the FLOT highly vulnerable. This environment challenges commanders’ ability to resupply units and evacuate casualties. The Army refers to the critical distance between the FLOT and supported units as the “Last Tactical Mile” – the final segment of ground over which supplies, equipment, or personnel must be moved under the greatest threat from enemy observation and fires. This phase is often the most dangerous and logistically complex, requiring innovative solutions to ensure mission success and force protection.

The UGV should be capable of supporting the sustainment needs of a dismounted Rifle Platoon or Company Headquarters for extended operations (reference ATP 5-0.2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1, Unclassified, for Battalion weight needs). It should be able to transport various classes of supply and operate autonomously across diverse terrains and environments, maintaining reliable communications with supported units. The UGV should be able to navigate both on- and off-road routes, including areas without GPS, and support situational awareness. It should minimize detectable signatures and emissions during operations, including in the final approach to supported units.

The UGV should be capable of being reconfigured by the maneuver unit for multiple roles, including casualty evacuation. It should be able to autonomously transport at least two (2) casualties from the point of injury to a designated collection point, without causing additional harm to the patient. The cargo area should be modular and provide accessible power and data connections.

The UGV must support integration and collaboration within networked operational environments and be interoperable with current and future command and control systems. The solution must provide open and exposed APIs for integration with common control and mission autonomy applications.

Interested parties have until 28 April to respond. Learn more at www.sam.gov

Photo above: A Hunter Wolf unmanned ground vehicle assigned to Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Mobile Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), holds a steady overwatch position with a mounted remote operated .50-caliber machine gun during a combat simulation exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana, April 13, 2026. (US Army photo by MSG Anthony Hewitt)

This entry was posted
on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 at 10:00 and is filed under Army, Mobility, Robotics.
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army today announced the implementation of the new Combat Field Test (CFT), a major update to its physical readiness program designed to align fitness standards with the demanding realities of modern combat.

Implementation will begin in April 2026. The CFT is required annually for active-duty Soldiers serving in 24 designated combat military occupational specialties.

“The Combat Field Test is a critical step forward in ensuring our Soldiers serving in the most physically demanding specialties have the specific fitness required to dominate on the modern battlefield,” said the Secretary of the Army Hon. Dan Driscoll. “This is about readiness, lethality, and the well-being of our Soldiers.”

The CFT does not replace the Army Fitness Test. Combat specialty Soldiers in the Regular Army and Reserve Component on active-duty orders will be required to pass one of each test annually. All other Reserve Component Soldiers in combat specialties will take one fitness test per calendar year, alternating between the AFT and CFT.

The CFT is a seven-event sequence conducted continuously and scored on total time. Events include:

A one-mile run.

30 dead-stop push-ups.

A 100-meter sprint.

16 lifts of a 40-pound sandbag onto a 65-inch platform.

A 50-meter carry of two five-gallon Army water cans weighing 40 pounds each.

A 50-meter movement drill consisting of a 25-meter high crawl and a 25-meter 3-5 second rush.

A final one-mile run.

Soldiers must complete the test in 30 minutes or less while wearing the Army Combat Uniform, combat boots and a brown T-shirt, with no cover.

“This isn’t just about passing a test; it’s a direct measure of our commitment to readiness and ensuring our warfighters can dominate in any environment,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer. “We’re asking more of our combat arms Soldiers, and this test validates their ability to meet that high standard.”

To allow time for adaptation, no adverse administrative actions will be taken for failing the CFT during an initial 365-day diagnostic period for Regular Army and active-duty Reserve Component Soldiers, and a 730-day period for all other Reserve Component Soldiers. During this phase, Soldiers may request voluntary reclassification to a non-combat specialty if they determine they cannot meet the standard, allowing the Army to retain valuable talent.

The CFT establishes a single, mission-based standard aligned to the demands of combat to ensure readiness and lethality. All Soldiers in designated combat roles must meet the same passing criteria, regardless of age or sex.

The Army will provide support to Soldiers preparing for the CFT through command-led physical training programs, Holistic Health and Fitness resources, and a dedicated CFT microsite with additional guidance. For more information on the Combat Field Test, visit the Army Fitness Test website.

Via US Army Public Affairs

This entry was posted
on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 at 16:20 and is filed under Army, Press Release, Profession of Arms, Warrior Athlete.
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FORT POLK, La. — The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) took another major step toward Army transformation this month as Soldiers from the Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company (MFRC), 3rd Mobile Brigade, tested and trained for its first time with the Tactical Electronic Warfare System–Infantry (TEWS-I) integrated onto an Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) during a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation, April 7–17, 2026.

The integration marks a milestone for the Army and the Division: TEWS-I now mounted on the ISV, a lightweight, highly mobile platform designed for rapid air assault and distributed operations. According to General Dynamics Mission Systems, TEWS-I on the ISV creates a “middleweight” electronic warfare capability—more powerful than man-portable systems but lighter and faster than heavy vehicle platforms. F or Sgt. Javan Isaiah, an electronic warfare specialist (17E) and EW squad leader with the MFRC, the rotation was both a challenge and an opportunity.

“This was my first time using the system in the field,” said Isaiah. “We only had about three days of actual hands?on time before coming out here, so a lot of what we learned came from troubleshooting in real time.”

Despite limited preparation, Isaiah said his team adapted quickly.

“EW Soldiers are critical thinkers. We’re used to new systems coming at us fast,” he said. “We had to learn the ISV and the TEW-I at the same time, but we figured it out together.”

Traditionally, electronic warfare systems have been mounted on heavier vehicles. Integrating TEWS-I onto the ISV gives EW Soldier in light infantry units a new level of mobility and flexibility.

The ISV’s off-road agility allows EW teams to reach better collection sites faster, reposition quickly, and keep pace with maneuver forces. Isaiah said the difference was immediate:

“Mobility across the battlefield in this modified ISV was a game-changer compared to heavier vehicles,” he said. “We can be employed faster, we can air assault in with the ISV, and we can get to the right place at the right time.”

This directly supports the Army’s push toward mobile, distributed, multidomain formations, a concept the 101st has been helping test through initiatives like the Mobile Brigade Combat Team prototype and “Transformation in Contact.”

TEWS-I gives commanders the ability to detect, identify, locate, and disrupt enemy signals—capabilities that are increasingly essential in modern warfare.

“There are enemies we can’t see who live in the electronic battlespace,” said Isaiah. “Our job is to find them, understand what they’re doing, and give the commander options to stop them.”

He described how TEWS-I can locate enemy communications, direction find their location, and—when authorized—jam or degrade their ability to coordinate.

“If the enemy can’t talk, they can’t fight effectively,” he said. “That gives our infantry an advantage.” The 101st Airborne Division is known for speed, agility, and the ability to strike deep. Isaiah believes TEWS-I on the ISV strengthens that legacy.

“The TEWS-I lives up to the air assault name by being a quick deployable fighting force,” he said. “It helps us stay ahead of near-peer threats and operate in a multidomain environment.”

The system also supports the Army’s broader modernization goals, including integrating cyber, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, and sensing capabilities at lower echelons—an approach highlighted in the Army’s emerging multidomain effects formations.

For the 101st, the JRTC rotation demonstrated not just a new piece of equipment in their arsenal, but a new way of fighting—one that blends agility, sensing, and electronic attack into the fast-moving air assault formations the division is known for.

“We’re staying ahead of the learning curve,” Isaiah said. “That’s how we protect the force and stay lethal.”

Story by MSG Anthony Hewitt 

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

This entry was posted
on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 at 00:00 and is filed under Army, CEMA, EW, Guest Post.
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