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| Brigade Modernization Command | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Brigade Modernization Command |
| Dates | Established 2016–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Research, development, and experimentation |
| Garrison | Fort Cavazos, Texas |
| Role | Assessment, modernization, brigade-level experimentation |
| Command structure | U.S. Army Futures Command |
Brigade Modernization Command is a United States Army organization responsible for assessing, experimenting with, and integrating new materiel and concepts at brigade echelon to inform acquisition and force design. It conducts brigade-level evaluations, operational assessments, and live demonstrations to support U.S. Army Futures Command, Army Futures Command's cross-functional teams, and capability developers across the Department of Defense. The command links tactical brigades, Century-class combat brigades, and institutional centers to accelerate insertion of technologies from laboratories into formations.
The command emerged amid reforms after the Iraq War, Afghanistan War, and strategic reviews such as the 2018 National Defense Strategy that emphasized modernization. Established under the aegis of U.S. Army Futures Command and aligned with initiatives like the Army Futures Command modernization priorities and the Army Modernization Strategy, it grew out of experimental efforts conducted by units at Fort Bliss, Yuma Proving Ground, and White Sands Missile Range. Early collaborations included programs tied to the Network Cross-Functional Team, Long Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team, and Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross-Functional Team, and it supported evaluations during exercises influenced by concepts from Network Integration Evaluations and Army Warfighting Assessment. The command’s lineage reflects institutional reforms championed by leaders such as General Mark A. Milley and General John M. Murray.
The command’s mission is to prototype, assess, and validate brigade-level systems and organizational concepts to inform Congressional decisions, Defense Acquisition processes, and force structure changes. It provides operational testbeds for Soldier Data, Tactical Network, Combat Vehicle systems, Indirect Fires, and integration of unmanned systems into brigade formations. By linking brigade commanders, TRADOC proponents, and program executive offices like Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems and Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, it aims to reduce risk for programs such as Integrated Visual Augmentation System and Common Robotic System–Individual.
Organized to combine tactical units, experimentation cells, and analyst cadres, the command integrates brigade combat teams, brigade combat team equivalents, and specialized test detachments alongside partnerships with centers such as the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command and Combat Capabilities Development Command. Headquarters elements coordinate with installations including Fort Riley, Fort Sill, Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord for distributed experiments. Staff sections encompass capability integration, analytics, logistics, and doctrine liaisons drawn from Training and Doctrine Command and acquisition communities like the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
Programs supported include brigade-level assessments for Tactical Network Modernization, Extended Range Cannon Artillery, Multi-Domain Operations enablers, and robotic platforms related to Manned–Unmanned Teaming. Projects have evaluated systems tied to Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing, Electronic Warfare Modernization, and the integration of sensors from Overhead Persistent Infrared and tactical UAV programs. The command has also executed cross-domain experiments linking projects from Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, Defense Innovation Unit, and industry consortia for platforms inspired by prototypes from Autonomous Ground Vehicle initiatives.
The command informs doctrine by feeding results into Field Manual revisions, Army Doctrine Reference Publication updates, and training curricula devised by Combined Arms Center and Center for Army Lessons Learned. It conducts brigade rehearsals, collective training modules, and proficiency assessments that shape requirements for Warrior Systems and collective combined-arms tactics used by Armored Brigade Combat Team and Infantry Brigade Combat Team formations. Lessons learned have affected training at institutions such as National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center.
Operating as a bridge to industry, the command engages with defense contractors, small businesses, and nontraditional suppliers, coordinating through events like wargames and capability demonstrations alongside organizations such as the National Security Innovation Network and Small Business Innovation Research participants. It leverages partnerships with federal laboratories including Naval Surface Warfare Center, Air Force Research Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories as well as academic institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Texas A&M University to accelerate technology maturation.
The command has led and supported major demonstrations and exercises tied to Army Warfighting Assessment, multinational exercises such as NATO interoperability events, and service-level experiments including demonstrations for Joint All-Domain Command and Control. Field demonstrations have showcased integration of autonomous systems, augmented reality soldier systems like IVAS, and networked fires during events conducted at National Training Center, Yuma Proving Ground, and White Sands Missile Range.