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Andreas Kiel, Group Director Procurement, on Building Resilient Supply Chains at Mehler Systems

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026

FULDA, GERMANY (18 September 2026)

Procurement plays an increasingly strategic role at Mehler Systems, connecting global supplier networks with engineering, manufacturing, and customers to strengthen innovation, resilience, and long-term competitiveness across the group.

In this interview, Andreas Kiel, Group Director Procurement at Mehler Systems, discusses how procurement has evolved beyond traditional purchasing, the importance of trusted supplier partnerships, the role of Mehler Systems Asia, and why resilient value chains have become a competitive advantage in today’s defence industry.

Q: Many people assume procurement is about negotiating the lowest price. At Mehler Systems, where quality and reliability are critical, what does “good procurement” actually mean?

A: Good procurement at Mehler Systems goes far beyond negotiating prices. Our role is to create sustainable value by ensuring quality, innovation, availability, resilience, and long-term supply security across our entire value chain.

Procurement at Mehler Systems is evolving from a traditional purchasing function into the architect of global partner networks and resilient value chains. Our mission is to connect global supply networks with local market and supplier expertise, bringing together the right technologies, capabilities, and innovation partners worldwide while understanding regional market requirements, cultural differences, and strategic customer needs.

Good procurement means building trusted partnerships that create mutual value over many years. The objective is not to achieve the lowest purchase price, but to deliver the highest long-term value for our customers, our suppliers, and the Mehler Systems Group. This philosophy is best summarised in our guiding principle: Act Global – Think Local.

Q: Defence procurement is often described as being far more complex than procurement in other industries. What makes it different?

A: Performance, reliability, and compliance are mission-critical in our industry. Many of our products protect people in life-threatening situations, which means procurement decisions have a direct impact on operational readiness and user safety.

Unlike many sectors, we manage long product lifecycles, highly specialised materials, export controls, security regulations, and increasing geopolitical uncertainty while ensuring long-term product availability.

What also makes defence procurement unique is the complexity of the production networks involved. We are not only managing direct suppliers but entire value chains that extend from raw materials and specialised components through multiple supplier tiers to the end customer. Transparency, resilience, and performance across every level of that network have become critical success factors.

Procurement therefore acts as a strategic connector between customers, engineering teams, development partners, manufacturing organisations, and suppliers across different regions of the world.

Q: Procurement often works behind the scenes. At what point do you become involved when a new product is being developed?

A: Ideally, from the earliest stages of development. Innovation is rarely created by a single organisation. Many technological advances originate within the supplier network. By involving procurement early, we can identify emerging technologies, evaluate supply chain readiness, assess industrialisation risks, and accelerate development timelines.

Our contribution extends well beyond sourcing components. We analyse the entire value stream behind a product, identify critical dependencies, and create transparency across second- and third-tier supplier structures. Understanding where materials, technologies, and manufacturing capabilities actually originate has become a significant competitive advantage.

Procurement therefore acts not only as a commercial function but increasingly as a strategic partner to engineering, operations, and programme management. Our role is to connect engineering teams with global technology leaders and specialised suppliers, ensuring that innovation can ultimately be transformed into scalable, reliable, and risk-resilient production solutions.

Q: Across Mehler Systems, innovation takes many forms. How does procurement help turn ideas into reality?

A: Every product innovation depends on technologies, materials, manufacturing capabilities, and supplier expertise.

Our role is to identify the best partners globally, qualify new technologies, and secure the production capabilities needed to bring those innovations into industrial production.

Suppliers themselves also play a significant role in innovation. Many contribute new material technologies, manufacturing processes, and production concepts that improve both product performance and scalability.

That is why we invest heavily in long-term supplier partnerships. By working closely with suppliers across global innovation networks, we gain early access to emerging technologies, new manufacturing capabilities, and production concepts that help shape the next generation of products.

Q: Mehler Systems continues to strengthen collaboration across its brands. What advantages does working as one group bring from a procurement perspective?

A: Working as one group significantly strengthens our market position, innovation capabilities, and procurement effectiveness.

By combining expertise from body armour, platform protection, tactical apparel, and load-carrying solutions under a common procurement strategy, we can leverage synergies, consolidate market intelligence, strengthen supplier relationships, and build greater resilience throughout the value chain.

One of the greatest advantages of operating as an integrated group is our ability to combine global scale with local expertise. Through our international footprint, we gain direct access to experienced local sourcing specialists, established supplier networks, and regional market intelligence.

This local expertise allows us to identify challenges earlier, accelerate decision-making, strengthen supplier collaboration, and create value faster for our customers and the entire group.

Q: Mehler Systems Asia has become an important part of that strategy. Why was it the right time to establish a stronger procurement presence in the APAC region?

A: Procurement was one of the principal drivers behind establishing Mehler Systems Asia.

Global supply chains have become significantly more complex, while innovation, manufacturing capabilities, and new technologies are increasingly emerging outside the traditional European supplier landscape.

To remain competitive, procurement must be present where future technologies, supplier capabilities, and innovation ecosystems are developing.

The objective of Mehler Systems Asia is not simply to strengthen sourcing activities. It is about connecting global supply networks with local market and supplier expertise, building closer relationships with key partners, accelerating development cycles, increasing transparency across the value chain, and improving supply chain resilience.

At the same time, all sourcing activities remain aligned with Mehler Systems’ global standards for quality, compliance, and performance. In many ways, Mehler Systems Asia represents the next evolution of procurement—from managing suppliers to building global ecosystems of trusted partners.

Q: Large defence programmes place very different demands on procurement. What does it take to support programmes such as MOBAST or the Ukraine project?

A: Every programme requires a different procurement strategy.

Long-term programmes such as MOBAST require stability, capacity planning, lifecycle management, and resilient supplier relationships capable of maintaining consistent quality over many years despite changing market conditions.

The Ukraine programme required something different. It demonstrated the strength of the One Mehler approach, with procurement coordinating suppliers, production capacities, logistics, and material allocation across multiple business units under demanding timelines.

Whether supporting long-term programmes or rapid-response projects, the common denominator remains the same: trusted partnerships, transparency, proactive risk management, and resilient supplier ecosystems.

Success is not built on short-term transactions but on trusted relationships that are developed and strengthened over many years.

Q: Defence customers expect rapid delivery without compromising quality. How do you balance speed, availability, and reliability?

A: Speed without quality creates risk, while quality without availability creates operational challenges. The objective is therefore to achieve all three simultaneously.

We accomplish this through proactive risk management, diversified sourcing strategies, framework agreements, and long-term supplier partnerships.

Equally important is transparency across the value chain. Understanding production technologies, manufacturing capacities, supplier interconnections, and material dependencies enables us to identify risks early, make faster decisions, and respond effectively when market conditions change.

Regional sourcing capabilities further strengthen that responsiveness by bringing us closer to suppliers, technologies, and innovation markets while maintaining globally consistent quality standards.

Q: Looking ahead, what will be the biggest challenge for procurement in the defence industry?

A: The greatest challenge will be balancing resilience, innovation, sovereignty, scalability, and competitiveness simultaneously.

Procurement will continue evolving from a transactional function into a strategic enabler of business success. Our responsibility extends beyond managing suppliers. We build trusted ecosystems of partners, secure critical technologies, and create resilient supply chains capable of supporting future growth.

Ultimately, success in defence procurement is not defined by individual transactions but by the ability to connect global supply networks with local market and supplier expertise, ensuring that critical capabilities remain available, scalable, and resilient when they are needed most.

Act Global – Think Local is therefore much more than a sourcing strategy. It is the foundation for sustainable partnerships, innovation, resilience, and long-term value creation throughout the entire Mehler Systems ecosystem.

About Andreas Kiel:

Andreas Kiel is Group Director Procurement at Mehler Systems, where he leads procurement across the group. With more than 20 years of experience in the defence industry, he specialises in strategic procurement, supply chain management, industrialisation, and global sourcing. Holding a degree in economics and a master’s degree specialising in supply chain management, Andreas Kiel has been instrumental in building Mehler Systems’ global supply chain, including the development of strategic partnerships across Asia. As a Board Member of Mehler Systems Asia, he supports the group’s international sourcing strategy while strengthening supplier partnerships and procurement capabilities across the APAC region.

For more information about Mehler Systems, please visit mehler-systems.com

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Army Promotes Drill Sergeants

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026

FORT KNOX, Ky. — The U.S. Army issued a policy today to promote sergeants to staff sergeants upon completion of the Drill Sergeant Course. Sergeants who are currently serving in drill sergeant positions and meet all requirements will also be promoted, with an effective date of Sept. 10, 2026.

This policy combines the new drill sergeant promotion authority with an existing authority to promote recruiters from sergeants to staff sergeants upon completion of the Army Recruiting Course. By promoting otherwise qualified noncommissioned officers to staff sergeant, the Army is continuing to recognize the critical role that these Soldiers serve in shaping the enlisted force.

“Drill sergeants are the backbone of the force and make a lasting impact on every enlisted Soldier’s career,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Wilson, U.S. Army Recruiting Command. “Many of us who served for 10, 15, or 20 years or more always remember the drill sergeants who helped us to become ready and lethal members of the U.S. Army.”

Drill sergeants have an immense responsibility requiring the utmost maturity and professionalism. The new policy ensures Army’s newest drill sergeants are expediently promoted to the grade and rank in which they serve, which incentivizes the best sergeants in the Army to volunteer for one of the service’s greatest and most rewarding leadership challenges.

By Army Public Affairs

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | No Comments »

MATBOCK Monday: Excess Sewing Capacity

Monday, September 21st, 2026

MATBOCK Manufacturing has excess production capacity available now at our facility just outside Fort Bragg. Since taking over Hawk Distributor, MATBOCK has invested a little over $500,000 into the facility’s equipment and process capability. That investment is now available to put behind other companies’ production runs, across four capability areas:

Apparel Manufacturing: Cut-and-sew production to the same Berry/TAA standards MATBOCK holds its own product lines to.

3D-Printed Drone Parts: Additive manufacturing for drone components, suited to rapid iteration and small-batch runs.

Adaptive Manufacturing: Flexible lines that can shift between product types and order sizes without long changeover delays. Currently printing Nylon 12 and TPU 90, check this out to learn more about the material properties: matbockoem.com/3d-printing

DoW Production: Scalable production for Department of War clients, from prototype quantities through full-rate production.

The facility is ISO 9001 certified and ITAR registered, giving customers compliance infrastructure already in place rather than something to stand up on their own.

If your program needs domestic, compliant manufacturing capacity near Fort Bragg, visit matbockoem.com or reach out to MATBOCK OEM at oem@matbock.com or (757) 384-1338 to discuss your production needs and timeline.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Manufacturing | Comments Off on MATBOCK Monday: Excess Sewing Capacity

IEW History: MG Odom Convenes Tactical Intelligence Conference (21 JUL 1982)

Monday, September 21st, 2026

On July 21-22, 1982, Maj. Gen. William Odom, the Army’s assistant chief of staff, intelligence, hosted a Tactical Intelligence Conference at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. With a goal of finding consensus on the Army’s long-awaited intelligence capstone field manual, FM 34-1 Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (IEW) Operations, the conference was an overwhelming success.

The 1970s ushered in dramatic change for Army intelligence. Specific reforms recommended by the Intelligence Organization and Stationing Study (IOSS) published in 1975 were being implemented: the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command had been established; responsibility for all intelligence training was consolidated at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School (USAICS); and planning was underway for a single Army intelligence production center—the Army Intelligence Agency. Additionally, organic combat electronic warfare intelligence (CEWI) units were being activated at corps and division levels; yet intelligence doctrine struggled to keep pace with this rapid organizational and operational change. As late as 1982, MI was still relying on doctrine published more than a decade earlier.

At USAICS at Fort Huachuca, Mr. Phil Young’s Doctrinal Literature Division, Directorate of Training and Doctrine, was tasked with producing all IEW doctrinal materials for the U.S. Army and some joint services. The office had several supporting FM 34-series echelon manuals—such as FM 34-20 MI Group (CEWI) (Corps) and FM 34-10 MI Battalion (CEWI) (Division)—in various stages of completion, as well as a rough coordinating draft of FM 34-1 completed as early as 1980.

Two years later, tactical units were complaining about USAICS’ failure to produce a final version of the capstone manual. FM 34-1 was proving a significant challenge for Young’s office. Not only was Young struggling with significant personnel shortages, but the draft received some contentious feedback from the field. In a column in Military Intelligence Magazine, General Odom called out the “wholly unrealistic expectations” of the critics, stating “Two or three years ago, I doubt that we had adequate experience on which to base an effective draft of FM 34-1.” While he believed that “a great deal of experience has begun to accumulate from exercises and training,…we are nowhere near ready to write the ‘last word’ on doctrine in FM 34-1.” Still, he agreed, “it is high time to write the ‘first word’ on that doctrine.”

On July 21-22, 1982, General Odom convened a Tactical Intelligence Conference at USAICS. He brought in Army G-2s and tactical intelligence commanders from every corps and nearly every division to collaborate with the doctrine writers at USAICS. After personally helping nail down a definition of “doctrine,” Odom focused the attendees on five key areas of dissension: IEW operations, intelligence support to Operational Security (OPSEC), the all-source intelligence center, collection management, and joint and combined IEW operations.

After the conference, General Odom praised the level of competence and professionalism in the MI Branch, relating, “The wealth of insight was truly impressive, and I personally left the conference much richer from the experience.” The USAICS doctrine writers also felt enlightened but perhaps intimidated by the amount of material the July “crash effort” and a follow-on November session generated. Still, based on the two conferences’ recommendations, by the end of the year, Mr. Young’s division had hammered out a new FM 34-1 coordinating draft and staffed it for review by the major commands. A second coordinating draft—slimmer by 250 pages and focused on company and field grade officers performing IEW command and staff functions—was ready for staffing by Feb. 18, 1983. On Mar. 22-23, 1983, another meeting at Fort Huachuca led to the finalization of the manual’s content.

Finally, on Aug. 31, 1984, the long-awaited FM 34-1 IEW Operations was published, the first time Army intelligence field operations doctrine was compiled in a single source. It provided general doctrine for tactical IEW operations from Echelons Above Corps down to maneuver battalion levels. Mr. Young stressed, however, that the manual was still not “the last word” but, instead, would need to be updated with continual feedback from the field.

Article by Lori S. Stewart, USAICoE Command Historian. New issues of This Week in MI History are published each week. To report story errors, ask questions, request previous articles, or be added to our distribution list, please contact: TR-ICoE-Command-Historian@army.mil.

Posted in EW, Guest Post, History, ISR | Comments Off on IEW History: MG Odom Convenes Tactical Intelligence Conference (21 JUL 1982)

62d AW Pioneers First sUAS Training for C-17 Inspections in AMC

Sunday, September 20th, 2026

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. —

62d Maintenance Group personnel completed a four-day, hands-on training program on the Skydio X10D small unmanned aircraft system at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Sept. 3, 2026. The training, which is the first of its kind in Air Mobility Command, included classroom instruction and practical applications of the system, introducing new, timely and safe capabilities into routine maintenance operations.

The 62d Airlift Wing is the first unit within AMC to fully implement a dedicated sUAS training and qualification program for maintenance inspections on the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The program is designed to be a streamlined, standardized course that can be easily replicated throughout AMC, and used as a base for further sUAS implementation.

The 62d MXG employs the Skydio X10D sUAS to conduct exterior and elevated visual inspections on the wing’s fleet of C-17s. The initiative aims to significantly reduce inspection timelines while reducing safety hazards associated with personnel conducting visual assessments.

“As a crew chief, I’m out on the line working on the C-17, which is a huge aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Marcuscio McCampbell, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. “Being able to use the drone to perform duties like upper wing inspections, that normally take much longer, saves us time and helps the maintainers of tomorrow.”

Implementation of the X10D is not a new concept; the sUAS has already been fielded for aircraft maintenance inspections across the Department of the Air Force. Furthermore, Skydio liaisons to the Air Force introduced the system to Team McChord in 2025, demonstrating its ability to complete C-17 inspections in approximately 40 minutes. Now, the 62d MXG has a standardized training program that qualifies maintainers for C-17 inspections with the system.

“Drone technologies are expanding fast,” said Tech. Sgt. Austen Russell, 62d MXG maintenance qualification training program instructor. “I think it’s good for us to learn about them and autonomous operations, that way we’re not sending our people into harm’s way. We’re saving our people time and eliminating risks.”

Decreasing inspection times and removing excess dangers for personnel with the sUAS program increases the wing’s operational agility and accelerates crew readiness, especially in austere or expeditionary environments where specialized ground equipment may be unavailable. By utilizing the high-resolution cameras and thermal sensors equipped on the X10D, maintainers can rapidly assess entire aircraft in detail from safe ground positions.

“Having people that are qualified on using this technology is going to be a steppingstone,” said McCampbell. “We can start using drones for all types of things, it’s not necessarily just going to be aircraft maintenance.”

As the lead unit implementing sUAS maintenance training within AMC, the 62d AW is establishing standardized qualification models, flightline operating procedures, and safety protocol to serve as a scalable model across the larger mobility force. The 62d MXG is setting the standard, utilizing innovative technology to accelerate aircraft turnaround times and project rapid global mobility more efficiently.

By Airman 1st Class Frederick Barnes, 62d Airlift Wing

Posted in Air Force, Drone, Guest Post, MRO | No Comments »

FirstSpear Friday Focus: E+R Waist Bag

Friday, September 18th, 2026

Fast access to mission-critical items starts with where you carry them. The FirstSpear E+R WAIST BAG is a lightweight, purpose-built waist pack engineered to keep tourniquets, eye protection, and essential gear immediately accessible without adding bulk to the loadout. It mounts directly to an Assaulters Gun Belt via a 2-point QD buckle configuration, or carries independently on its own integral waist belt secured with a low-profile G Hook, accommodating waist sizes up to 44″. Shock cord mounted on the top provides a quick stash point for a TQ, eye pro, or similarly sized items without opening a zipper.

Features:

2-POINT QD BUCKLE — MOUNTS DIRECTLY TO ASSAULTERS GUN BELT
SHOCK CORD TOP STASH — QUICK ACCESS FOR TQ AND EYE PRO
4 ZIPPERED POCKETS WITH DRAINAGE
INTEGRAL WAIST BELT WITH G HOOK — FITS UP TO 44″

At its core, the E+R WAIST BAG is constructed from lightweight, state-of-the-art materials that keep weight low and features numerous. Four zippered pockets keep gear organized and accessible, while built-in drainage and a removable top flap stiffener add durability and configurability for field use. Currently available in MultiCam, Coyote, and Grey/Rust.

Built for military personnel, law enforcement officers, and prepared professionals who demand reliable equipment, the E+R WAIST BAG delivers fast access to mission-critical gear in a lightweight, dual-carry platform. FirstSpear is the premier source for cutting-edge tactical gear for military, law enforcement, and those who train. To request an estimate, visit First-Spear.com/Request-For-Estimate. For more information, visit First-Spear.com.

Posted in Admin, Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Load Carrying, SERE | No Comments »

Oklahoma Guard’s Thunderstruck 3.0 Integrates Critical Battlefield Capabilities

Friday, September 18th, 2026

CAMP GRUBER TRAINING CENTER, Okla. — Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers put their tactics, techniques and procedures to the test during Exercise Thunderstruck 3.0, an unmanned systems-centered exercise at Camp Gruber Training Center Sept. 12.

This year’s iteration of the annual exercise trained Oklahoma National Guard members to respond to evolving threats while military representatives from other states, international partners and industry representatives observed scenarios incorporating unmanned aerial systems and other emerging capabilities.

“It’s trying to mold all of that into one operation so that we can test our systems, we can test our tactics, our techniques and our procedures to figure out what works, what doesn’t work, and then focus on what doesn’t work,” said Brig. Gen. Colby Wyatt, director of the joint staff for the Oklahoma National Guard.

The training reflects lessons from modern battlefields, where rapidly evolving unmanned systems provide persistent surveillance, track troop movements and influence how military formations maneuver.

“We have a dedicated exercise to take the emerging technology, put it in the hands of Soldiers and let them execute in a controlled environment where we can go back in and look at what we did and make sure what we’re doing is the right thing,” said Maj. Michael Horn, commander of the 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

That complexity also places greater demands on junior leaders.

“It takes a lot of training,” Horn said. “It takes a lot of learning for that leader on the ground to be able to understand the capabilities of the systems within his formation and how to employ them effectively to both protect and survive on the battlefield and be lethal.”

This year’s training incorporated UH-60 Black Hawk operations, tactical convoy movements, medical evacuation operations and UAS capabilities, giving participants opportunities to rehearse how they would operate, communicate and maneuver while facing threats from the air and ground.

“Exercise Thunderstruck helps the National Guard to get after their dual-use mission of domestic response and tactical-edge warfighting capability with drones, helicopters, other effects and fixed-wing aircraft safely, and teaching the young Soldiers and leaders in our environment how to be competitive and what the next fight looks like,” said retired Col. Shane Riley, co-owner of RXR Worldwide, which supports the Oklahoma Military Department by developing innovation capabilities, partnerships and digital airspace awareness for exercises such as Thunderstruck.

Friendly and opposing UAS operated throughout the exercise, providing both battlefield capabilities and simulated threats.

“We’re deploying these drones out into the environment to enable the units to be more lethal, to have better communications, and have a better understanding of the battlefield around them,” Riley said. “And then we’re also doing threat replication with those drones to make them deal with what the facts would look like in their next conflict.”

That integration of capabilities and threats is central to Thunderstruck 3.0, which brings multiple systems and training scenarios together to test how units operate in a complex battlefield environment.

Thunderstruck is part of the Oklahoma National Guard’s broader effort to develop UAS and counter-UAS capabilities through the Launched Effects Program, which since 2022 has brought together military, industry, academic and government partners to address emerging technologies and threats.

“We have state partners, interagency partners, domestic response partners, industry that are looking for ways to be relevant in the dual-use space, both commercial domestic protection and military applications,” Riley said.

For Guard leaders, the objective of Thunderstruck is not simply to demonstrate new technology but to give Soldiers an environment where they can experiment, identify weaknesses and refine how they operate before lives depend on it.

“We want to make sure that we set them up for success and we get them to start thinking about these different things, because they’re the ones on the ground,” said Col. Steve Cheadle, commander of the 90th Troop Command. “They’re the ones that are in harm’s way, and they’re the ones trying to lead their troops to make sure that they’re safe and they get back home.”

Exercise Thunderstruck 3.0 represents another step in the Oklahoma National Guard’s effort to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and ensure its formations are prepared to operate in an increasingly complex environment.

“You’re going to have to make some failures to find out where those gaps are in order to figure it out, to succeed,” Wyatt said. “The overarching goal of this is we want to protect our Soldiers better, for their survival on the battlefield.”

By SGT Danielle Rayon

Posted in Army, Guest Post | No Comments »

Balancing Innovation and Readiness: How Army CTCs are Modernizing for the Next Fight

Thursday, September 17th, 2026

WASHINGTON — As the Army modernizes for large-scale combat operations, its premier combat training centers (CTCs) manage a dual mission: training and validating immediate unit readiness while systematically testing the technologies destined for future battlefields.

Speaking during a recent media briefing, Lt. Gen. James P. Isenhower III, commanding general of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Command (CAC), outlined how the command is modernizing training at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California, and the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Following structural realignments under the Army Transformation Initiative and the establishment of T2COM, CAC regained purview and collective training funding for both JRTC and NTC. This realignment unifies force development, doctrine, education, and collective training under a single institutional command.

According to Isenhower, the modernization roadmap centers on one overriding mandate: delivering lethal, combat-credible formations ready to fight and win against peer adversaries.

“Primary is our requirement to deliver readiness to the nation when called,” Isenhower said. “The CTCs are an incredible capability and the envy of militaries across the world, given that they provide a crucible event to the units and truly stress them to give them confidence that they can function in extremis when called upon. However, there are also very few other more appropriate and effective opportunities to responsibly integrate experimentation.”

Evolving Past Mission Rehearsals to Dynamic LSCO Proficiency

When the Army established the CTCs in the early 1980s, their core purpose was to provide rigorous, force-on-force collective maneuvers against an unconstrained, free-thinking opposing force (OPFOR). During the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, CTC rotations pivoted toward mission rehearsal exercises—verifying specific counterinsurgency mission sets before scheduled deployments.

Today, the centers are completing a decisive return to high-intensity, large-scale combat operations (LSCO). Rather than acting purely as a checklist certification exercise, rotations are designed to hone collective warfighting skills, exercise multi-domain command and control, and expose formations to the chaotic friction of modern war.

“What we’re seeing today and what we’re leading the CTCs through is kind of a return to the original purpose focused on large-scale combat operations proficiency,” Isenhower explained. “It becomes an appropriate balance of building readiness and large-scale combat expertise while also giving us an opportunity to integrate some experimentation where we can validate or invalidate the technology or the technique.”

The 180-Day Rule: Priming the Training

Integrating cutting-edge commercial technology into tactical units often carries unintended consequences—chief among them, “technology fatigue” and cognitive overload for soldiers who need to focus on mission command and tactical execution.

To manage the introduction of new systems to rotational units, CAC uses its established CTC governance process in coordination with corps, division, and Army Futures Command leadership. A key component of this process is the mandatory 180-day rule.

“What I have directed is that we want to be very careful with the experimentation requirements we put on the rotational force… because we want them to focus on their processes, standards, and their operating procedures to make sure that they are tactically proficient and can employ themselves in accordance with their mission-essential tasks,” said Isenhower.

Under this threshold, any new technology slated for evaluation by the rotational brigade must be fielded to the unit at least 180 days before entering “the box.”

“We’ve established a temporal threshold 180 days out where we have to give them that equipment then, so that they have sufficient time at home station to integrate that,” Isenhower emphasized. “Then ostensibly, they can focus less on the integration of that equipment during the CTC rotation and more on fighting the enemy to good effect.”

Past instances where units received experimental equipment immediately before entering force-on-force maneuver demonstrated the risk of distraction. “We’ve realized that the reality is we owe them more time so they can integrate that equipment and focus on fighting the enemy as opposed to what oftentimes is a focus on simply trying to understand the equipment,” he added.

Leveraging the OPFOR for the Army’s Tech Testbed

When emerging capabilities need rapid operational testing within that 180-day window, CAC shifts the experimentation burden from the training audience to the permanent opposing forces at NTC and JRTC.

“The OPFOR at the CTCs know the terrain. There’s an argument that they spend more time in the field than any other unit in the Army,” Isenhower said. “It’s easier for us, and with less risk to training objectives, that we can inject a piece of technology in short order with the OPFOR just because they do this routinely… and it has less of a deleterious effect on their ability to employ.”

By arming the OPFOR with novel commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS), electronic warfare emitters, and advanced sensors, CTCs achieve a dual victory: new technology is tested against realistic field conditions, and the rotational training audience faces an adversary mirroring the sophisticated, transparent threat environments seen in Ukraine and other global hotspots.

Operating in the Drone Era: Uncontested Skies Are History

A major driver behind the updated CTC scenarios is also the proliferation of unmanned systems. Rather than viewing drones as an abstract military revolution, Isenhower described them as a logical evolution that has fundamentally altered the character of warfare across reconnaissance, strike, and sustainment.

Crucially, this evolution has shattered an operational assumption that guided U.S. operations for over two decades: automatic air superiority.

“One of the things that’s been stark to me is the collective recognition that we don’t enjoy air superiority in a tactical environment,” Isenhower observed. “For 20 years, we didn’t have to worry about anything coming out of the sky. And we lost proficiency that I think we had trained in the Cold War era… where we were worried about adversaries who had fixed-wing aircraft and the capability to send long-range precision fires at us.”

At both NTC and JRTC, rotational formations face pervasive drone surveillance and simulated aerial strikes. This forces training unit commanders and squad leaders alike to re-learn active protection, dispersal, camouflage, and immediate Counter-UAS battle drills.

“Our ability to integrate protection requirements—this affects the squad as it does a platoon, a company, a battalion, or a brigade—has become far more clear to us,” Isenhower said. “At the combat training centers, I’ve witnessed a sea change in how those units employ, how they seek dispersion, and how they use terrain and other camouflage techniques, but also incorporate deception to present a dilemma to an opposing force that has an air capability.”

Validating Tech and Tactics Through Soldier Feedback

Ensuring that modernization keeps pace with dynamic battlefield changes requires a reliable, rapid feedback loop between field maneuvers and procurement authorities.

To bridge this gap, CAC deploys Transformation Lessons Learned Managers (TLLMs) into training rotations and overseas operational exercises. These subject-matter experts collect ground-truth observations directly from soldiers and staffs under extreme conditions—such as noting when commercial drones perform well in humid Louisiana weather but struggle in European winter cold.

By institutionalizing this data flow through CAC’s Transformation Integration Directorates and passing empirical evidence directly to Army Futures Command and program executive offices, the Army avoids reliance on vendor marketing claims.

“The ultimate arbiter for me of an effective piece of technology is the soldier’s confidence in that technology and whether or not it’s helping them perform their mission,” Isenhower emphasized. “If a soldier doesn’t have confidence in a piece of equipment, he’ll discard it. We don’t put it on a soldier to tell a vendor something’s not working; we want to provide a consistent Army message based on the experience of experimenting in an environment where they’re going to employ it.”

By LTC Orlandon Howard, Army Communications & Outreach Office

Posted in Army, Forces Focus, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on Balancing Innovation and Readiness: How Army CTCs are Modernizing for the Next Fight