- The Army is considering broadening rapid acquisition authorities to acquire AI technologies faster, Lt. Gen. Robert Collins said at the 2026 Army Summit.
- The service has seen tremendous applications of AI for next-generation command and control, intelligence, autonomy and automated target recognition capabilities.
- Lt. Gen. Collins also discussed his desire for the service to work better with small businesses to better leverage their unique capabilities.
A senior Army acquisition official gave an update on the service’s various acquisition reform efforts and emerging technology priorities to a standing-room-only audience at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Army Summit on Thursday.
Lt. Gen. Robert Collins, principal military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, technology and logistics, said the service is exploring expanding rapid acquisition authorities to procure artificial intelligence technologies faster. He has seen tremendous applications for AI for next-generation command and control, or NGC2, intelligence, autonomy and automated target recognition capabilities.
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The general also discussed his desire for the service to work better with small businesses. This is because the Army wants to maximize a competitive business environment while also tapping small businesses for their unique contributions to emerging defense technologies.
Lt. Gen. Collins is encouraging his leaders to better communicate with small businesses to counter the perception that the Army needs to be careful about how it meets with industry.
“We are absolutely dependent upon the small, innovative businesses to be able to get to where we want to go with our future modernization,” he said. “We want to listen and facilitate their ability to compete.”
What Are Some Army Emerging Technology Priorities?
He discussed various emerging technology needs for the future fight. The Army wants to see further into the battlespace with better clarity. It wants its ground forces to be able to target deeper and at greater ranges and speeds with capabilities like hypersonic missiles. The Army, he said, wants to better leverage one-way attack unmanned aerial systems.
He also spoke about how the service wants to strengthen force protection, improve logistics in contested environments and advance manufacturing at the tactical edge. Lt. Gen. Collins wants to tie that all together with improved command and control to not only take better decisive action on the battlefield, but also counter the enemy’s C2 without them knowing.
How Is the Army Harnessing Acquisition Reform?
The Army is in the midst of innovative acquisition reform efforts, including the Army Transformation Initiative, to faster field innovative technologies. Lt. Gen. Collins shared that he’s considering increasing reprogramming authority, or spending money on purposes other than those originally approved.
The service is also considering combining budget line items into capability groups, like electronic warfare or UAS, to provide more flexibility, as it is difficult to predict how threats and technologies will evolve. The Army additionally wants to shorten characteristics of needs statements to provide industry more latitude to provide innovative offerings instead of requiring rigid specifications.
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Is the Army Working With Capability Trade Councils?
Lt. Gen. Collins is extremely excited about capability trade councils, which empower managers to work with warfighters and Pentagon leadership to make large adjustments to programs to field systems faster. These CTCs give the department’s portfolio acquisition executives and program managers permission to make requirements trades to maintain focus on accelerated delivery of capabilities within specified thresholds.
Lt. Gen. Collins wrapped up his keynote by emphasizing the importance of supporting and bolstering his acquisition workforce.
“Unquestionably, my number one priority as part of our acquisition reform, is our workforce and our people,” he said. “I want to make sure that we have got the right leadership, the right mentorship and the right training.”
