Wish List

The chief of the Army's Tank-automotive and Armaments Command spoke this week about the importance of making technological advancements to vehicle platforms in the face of constraining budgets, laying out a basic wish list for the command and the service.

Maj. Gen. Kurt Stein of TACOM Life Cycle Command spoke on Feb. 7 at a tactical wheeled vehicles conference in Monterey, CA.

"We need faster technology and integration and the willingness to change," said Stein, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by TACOM. "The best technologies from the [19]90s are not good enough for a 21st-century Army."

Stein told the audience the Army needed trucks with a high level of commonality across multiple platforms and systems.

"We need increased fuel and more energy-efficient vehicles," he said. "We need lighter vehicles -- with all the same gadgets and armor protection we have today. We need your relentless determination to build quality into every product and service you provide. And finally, we need all of this at a reduced cost."

Stein envisions a future that will make his mission even tougher given the current fiscal environment. "The persistent conflict we've endured for the past decade will not end any time soon," he said. "The demand for military resources will likely continue to remain strong. Military budgets will be subject to reductions, adjustments, shifts in priorities, and the elimination of certain programs.

"Some modernization efforts may be slowed in order to focus resources on current requirements," Stein concluded