Warfighting for the US Army will have challenges as these futuristic weapons will allow them to keep up with high-tech adversaries. Disputes are getting more technological as new weapons become autonomous and draw changes to the conflicts to come.
The battlefield has changed for the Army as it has sophisticated weaponry at its disposal. However, it may not be enough against Russia and China trying to trump the US to keep up in time. To combat this challenge, the US developed new top-secret weapons systems ranging from tanks and missiles, with a few surprises that will confound adversaries.
US is Arming With Next-Generation Weapons to Win Future Wars
A new generation of weapons will be replacing the arms of the Cold War. The mighty Apache and the M1-Abrams are now deemed ill-suited for tomorrow's theatre of war. In their place will be a distinctive arsenal adjusted for next century warfare, reported the Nationalist Interest.
There will be five of them that will upgrade the next-generation combat weapons.
Brand new combat vehicle
Tides of war are changing emphasis on the land battle, the once glorious M-1 Abrams MBT and M-2 Bradley IFV are not enough as robotic vehicles are used now. But, a resurgence of tank design has birthed new armored vehicles.
One concept is the Army's Next-Generation Combat Vehicle program, cited by Army Mil, that will modernize tanks, armored personnel carriers, and robot tanks or self-propelled cannon. It will have defensive systems to stop rockets, information warfare, and drones for operations.
An interesting concept is DARPA's Ground X-Vehicle Technologies program with tanks like a dune buggy. The US Army will have to look into these futuristic weapons.
Maneuver-Short-Range Air Defense or MSHORAD
One of the biggest problems is the use of drones by the Taliban or Iran, which is not easy to defend from the ground. The US has not developed a good countermeasure.
A system that was developed to take out drones is starting to challenge the US army units. On top of the army, Stryker vehicles are enhanced with Stinger air missiles as a temporary solution. One awaited system is the use of laser or Directed Energy (DE) weapons to counter drones out of the sky.
Autonomous Unmanned Robot Tanks
The Army is developing robot ground vehicles like those in science fiction. Instead of sending men to missions, these remotely-controlled robotic armors can go instead. The M113 APC carrier is configured to drive and operate as programmed, which does not need humans to drive it.
Future Vertical Lift and Advanced Helicopters
The success of the Blackhawk and the Apache helicopters as the best rotorcraft made are waiting to be replaced similar to the ground vehicles used in the past wars. However, they need equally good successors to keep flying for long. The UH-60, for example, has been adapted to several missions and is still flying. The Future Vertical Lift program noted by Forbes is expected to spawn an equally capable and more advanced airframe.
The US army will need workhorses for commissions that need special helicopters for any mission.
Hypersonic missiles and Extended Range Artillery
The need for extended range artillery and hypersonic missiles as more specialized equipment has been ignored, like one that fires a projectile a thousand miles away. The Soviets are rumored to have developed one themselves. Another challenge is having batteries capable of launching a hypersonic missile at an enemy that goes beyond Mach 5.
If US Army will have these futuristic weapons on hand sooner than its adversaries, close- and long-range combat will allow victory in fighting wars and a chance to dominate all opponents, especially China.
Related Article: US Air Force Searching for Army's Next High-Technology Rotorcraft
