August 04, 2018

Commentary: Success, or failure, of new Army Command rests on Congress

In July, the U.S. Army announced that Austin will be the location for its new Futures Command headquarters. The command, intended to be the spearhead of the Army’s modernization effort, will direct the research and development of new military technologies and build partnerships with civilian innovators in academia and industry.

Futures Command has clear objectives, the authority of a four-star Army command, and an innovation-rich environment to work with in Austin. Rarely does a team — in any field or at any level — find itself in such a favorable position and with the power to see its projects through to execution.

Despite these conditions, Futures Command has a daunting mission ahead of it — one that it may not be able to achieve: The command is charged with nothing less than overhauling and modernizing the U.S. Army, one of the most cumbersome and bureaucratic organizations in the world.

Read the full op-ed in the Austin-American Statesman.

  • Commentary

    Defense

    Where Do We Go from Here?

    Introduction Over the past nine months, The New American Defense Industrial Base essay series has brought together a wide range of participants to deliver a variety of views o...

    By Susanna V. Blume

    • September 3, 2026
  • Commentary

    Defense

    Manufacturing a New National Security

    Introduction The United States sits atop the world’s pedestal of military superpowers—particularly when it comes to developing and employing the most sophisticated technology—...

    By James Swartout & Nick Doucette

    • August 28, 2026
  • Commentary

    Defense

    The Impossible Middle East

    The Middle East today has some thinking to do. It will need to draw up new ways to preserve its wealth, to pursue greater self-sufficiency, and to diversify—and even own—its s...

    By Becca Wasser

    • Foreign Affairs
    • August 27, 2026
  • Commentary

    Defense

    The Risks of Downplaying China’s Military

    Deterrence can succeed, and continued U.S., Taiwanese, and allied investment can matter a great deal — if undertaken with the urgency the situation demands....

    By Tom Shugart

    • War on the Rocks
    • August 24, 2026

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia