Chairman's Interview: General (Ret.) Gary Brito on Innovation, Readiness and the Future of Armoured Warfare

Chapter headingChapter subheadingAhead of International Armoured Vehicles 2027, Defence iQ spoke with Chairman General (Ret.) Gary Brito.Contents

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Chairman's Interview

General (Ret.) Gary Brito on Innovation, Readiness and the Future of Armoured Warfare

Foreword

Training, readiness and innovation remain the foundations of combat effectiveness, even as emerging technologies reshape the modern battlefield. As armoured forces integrate artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics and advanced digital capabilities, success will depend not only on acquiring new technology, but also on developing the doctrine, leadership and operational readiness needed to employ it effectively.

Ahead of International Armoured Vehicles 2027, Defence iQ spoke with General (Ret.) Gary Brito, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and Chairman of the conference, to discuss the future of armoured warfare, the role of modernisation and training, and why collaboration across the global armoured community has never been more important.

General (Ret.) Gary Brito is President of The Brito Group, LLC, providing strategic advisory and consulting services. During a distinguished 38-year U.S. Army career, he served as Commanding General of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), where he oversaw the training, education and development of approximately one million soldiers and civilians while leading major modernization and transformation initiatives.

Previously, he served as the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1), responsible for Army-wide human capital, readiness and workforce policy. He also commanded the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, and the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, leading two of the Army's premier training and force-generation organisations.

For readers who may be less familiar with your background, could you introduce yourself and tell us about your career in the U.S. Army, as well as what you are focusing on today?

I am humbled and honored to have served over 38 years (active duty) in the U.S. Army. I have served in a variety of institutional and operational units, staff, and command positions. Most recently, I was very privileged to lead and serve as the 18th Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Today, I am focusing on leveraging my experience to support organizations in innovation, leader development, tech integration, and driving change.

During your 38 years of military service, you led some of the U.S. Army's most significant training, doctrine, and transformation organisations. Which experiences have most shaped your perspective on the future of land warfare?

Training, training, and more training! I was fortunate to have served at two of the Army's major Combat Training Centers and several assignments in the US Army Training and Doctrine Command. Through these experiences, I got to see firsthand the importance of reps and sets to ensure warfighting readiness, and the necessity of innovating and leveraging tech to enhance it.

Throughout your career, you have overseen major modernisation and organisational transformation programmes. Looking at today's operational environment, what do you believe are the most significant capability challenges facing armoured forces?

Our armored and infantry forces face many threats. These forces must be deployable and able to shoot, move, and communicate in any environment. I am not oversimplifying this issue. Staying ahead of our adversaries requires investment, R&D, training and adaptation. Critical areas of vehicle protection, network and C2 systems, firepower and more must remain at the forefront.

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, and advanced data networks are rapidly changing the battlefield. How do you see these technologies being integrated into future armoured formations, and where do you think the land domain is heading over the next decade?

These technologies must be integrated into the organizational structure and in some cases, integrated into platform capabilities across the armored formations. Furthermore, units should integrate these technologies into all collective training at echelon. The forces operating in the land domain over the next decade will likely have the capabilities to impact all domains (land, air, sea, etc.) and integrate with the joint while maintaining dominance in ground operations.

Recent conflicts have reinforced the importance of combining traditional armoured capability with uncrewed systems, digital connectivity and multi-domain operations. How do you see the balance between proven platforms and emerging technologies evolving?

I feel very positive. US and allied forces have been training in multi-domain environments for several years. Numerous exercises, combat training center scenarios, and unit training integrate UAS, robotics, and autonomous systems into the training, and I would add, young soldiers and leaders 'get it'. Tech moves quickly and demands a balance of deployable readiness (fight tonight) and innovation to leverage emerging tech.

As militaries continue to modernise, what role do leadership, training and doctrine play in ensuring new technologies are adopted effectively rather than simply acquired?

Leadership, training and doctrine are key components of institutional priorities that should occur and have an important role in the professionalism of the force. Professional military education, standards-based training, equipped organizations, and hard training are foundational to warfighting readiness.

You will be chairing International Armoured Vehicles 2027. From your perspective, what makes this conference such an important forum for the global armoured vehicle community?

This forum brings together experienced professionals, encourages useful dialogue and exchange of ideas, and enhances relationships amongst allied partners. I am looking forward to facilitating discussion on the importance of innovation and warfighting readiness across the armored force, as well as fostering strong relationships with our allied partners.

Get Ready for International Armoured Vehicles 2027
19–21 January 2027
Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, UK

Join over 1,600 military leaders, programme managers, government officials, OEMs and industry experts from more than 55 nations at International Armoured Vehicles 2027, taking place 19–21 January 2027 at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, UK. As the world's leading forum for the armoured vehicles community, IAV provides an unrivalled opportunity to examine lessons from modern conflict, explore next-generation technologies, and engage with the decision-makers shaping future mounted capability.