Today, Rep. John R. Carter introduced legislation requiring the Secretary of the Army to report to Congress on the modernization strategy for ground combat systems of the Army and efforts to field future ground combat vehicles.

“Our ground combat vehicles are overmatched today, and the longer we wait the longer our soldiers cannot provide adequate deterrence in one the of most threatening national security environments our nation has ever faced,” said Rep. Carter. “Rogue nations threatening our security have modernized their ground forces, and the tactical overmatch that US ground forces have enjoyed for decades is now gone. It is indefensible for us as Members of Congress to sit idly by and not give our Soldiers the capabilities they will need to dominate in future wars.” 

The Army’s current fleet of ground combat vehicles was conceived in the 1970’s and built in the 1980’s. While multiple upgrades to these vehicles have occurred, they were not designed for the requirements of today’s and tomorrow’s wars. 

In eight years, the Army will make a decision whether or not to keep the current thirty-five year old Bradley Fighting Vehicle for the next fifty-seventy years. The scheduled upgrades for the Abrams tank will take thirty years to completely outfit the entire Army – while not solving many of the problems of being outgunned. For many reasons, including having to fund current readiness requirements at higher-than-expected levels, the Army has no program in place to procure next generation ground combat vehicles.

Rep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest active duty armored military installation in the free world. He serves as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, co-chairman of the Congressional Army Caucus, is on the Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice and Science and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

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