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                         November 21, 2001

Army chief of staff says objective force to be 'system of systems'

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki may not know exactly what the future Objective Force will look like, but he is sure that it will be built as a networked system of systems, keep the Army from becoming irrelevant and be fielded this decade.

Shinseki made those observations while addressing an Association of the U.S. Army symposium held in Washington Nov. 8-9.

"‘I don’t know’ does not mean ‘I don’t care,’" Shinseki said in reference to moving Transformation ahead without firm blueprints on the table for the Objective Force. "...The science and technology insights and breakthroughs are being discovered today in labs, workshops and simulations centers all across the country. We’re looking for capabilities that will gird a capabilities-based force for the full spectrum of missions we will face in the 21st century."

The danger of the Army not transforming into a force that can project real sustainable combat power anywhere in the world is the Army becoming irrelevant to national security, he said.

The primary vehicle for Transformation is the yet-to-be-developed Future Combat System. The envisioned FCS will be networked to allow real-time situational awareness and require less logistics and maintenance than current combat systems. It will also be able to operate more effectively in joint operations.

However, Transformation isn’t just about new equipment, Shinseki said, it is also about people.

"All the weapons in the world are useless without the intellect, dedication and remarkable sense of duty of the American soldier walking point for our nation," he said. "This is all about our soldiers; they remain the centerpiece of our formations. They are the ones who have won our past wars for 226 years; they are the ones who will win this war; and they will win the wars to come."