Army leaders talk drones, innovation and more at Maneuver Warfighter Conference

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — The 2024 Maneuver Warfighter Conference took place at Fort Moore Sept. 10 – 12. This year’s conference focused on maneuver transformation, with a large portion of the conversation focused on the Army’s developing technology.

“Transformation in contact is an initiative really championed by the chief staff of the Army, that we have plans for the modernization of the Army in 2030, 2040 and beyond,” said Col. Jim Modlin, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Armor School at Fort Moore.

The initiative also focuses on more immediate solutions, according to Modlin. He continued, “What can we do now? What can we do in the near term?”

The Warfighter Conference is an annual event which allows soldiers, senior leaders and partners to communicate directly about innovation and changes within the Army.

Brig. Gen. John Cushing, currently serving as commanding general of Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM)—which falls under Army Futures Command—took the stage Sept. 12.

His presentation focused on technology development which would reduce soldier heat signatures, create a variety of uses for drones and more.

According to Cushing, soon drones, also called unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), could be used by the Army to scan battle areas to check for signs of life like heartbeats and heat signatures. Counter UAS technology which could jam signals and kill enemy drones is also being developed.

“I sleep very well at night knowing that we are getting after it [technology development] the best way we know how,” Cushing said.

DEVCOM takes a collaborative approach to innovation, continuously encouraging soldier input through innovation labs at various posts and the Dragon’s Lair competition open to all U.S. military servicemembers.

At Fort Moore, ongoing initiatives are using drones for training and conducting tests.

“What’s significant about it is, it’s not just the actual implementation of using the system, but it’s the lessons learned that we’re getting out of it,” Modlin said. “We have an experimentation force here at Fort Moore that can help inform some of the decisions that are being made in the Army.”

The Army’s inaugural drone competition, the Beehive Classic, was hosted at Fort Moore in May 2024. Drone usage was also a major topic of conversation at the 2023 Warfighter Conference .

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