• US Army officials say laser weapons require surprisingly little protective gear.
• Troops should stay at least 10 feet from targets and never look into the laser.
• The Army wants lasers that work on different vehicles and can be learned in minutes.

US Army officials say the safety protocols for soldiers using lasers are surprisingly simple: don't stand too close to the target and don't look into the weapon.

Directed-energy weapons are seeing more operational use, particularly at the US southern border, where the Army has employed them against cartel-linked drones. The service envisions these systems operating on different vehicles and being easy for soldiers to learn and use safely.

At the Association of the United States Army, or AUSA, convention last week in Washington, DC, officials and industry partners spoke on developments in directed-energy weapons.

Asked about personal protective equipment, or PPE, and any concerns about specular reflection from lasers, Kirk Williams, chief engineer of the Army's directed energy project office, said the rules were similar in some respects to those for other weapons.

"Well, the short and sweet of that answer is: unless you're within ten feet of the target, a specular reflection is eye-safe, so the soldiers don't need the eye protection from the laser," he said, explaining that "it's like any other weapons system: don't look into it."

"We tell the soldiers the same thing about an M-16. Don't look down the barrel. Same thing with lasers, don't look down the barrel."

Specular reflections occur when light bounces off a surface. In the case of a laser weapon, reflected light can bounce off a targeted vehicle or drone. While the target absorbs most of the energy, some reflections might stray and cause eye or skin damage to soldiers near the target.

Williams said that part of the reason the Army likes these weapons is their relatively low risk to soldiers and the limited need for protective gear. "They are safe," he said, adding that "the great thing about a laser is we can also turn them off instantaneously."

The weapons also have safeguards that shut them down if there is a risk of hitting something other than the intended target.

During the panel, Williams and others also talked about the Army's priorities for deploying more laser weapons, an area of growing importance for the Army and the broader US military.

Brig. Gen. Guy Yelverton, the capability program executive for defensive fires, said the service wants to integrate high-energy lasers onto "any vehicle in the motorpool." He said the Army's Enduring High Energy Laser, or E-HEL, is mounted on a sled, allowing it to be integrated onto multiple types of vehicles.

The E-HEL is an Army directed-energy weapon program using AeroVironment's LOCUST laser system.

Yelverton said that making weapons compatible with different vehicles and usable by soldiers across military specialties will allow the Army to deploy them more widely.

The general said that this flexibility would allow the Army to deploy laser weapons "across all Army formations," giving commanders more options for where to put them and which soldiers should operate them.

"It's a great dilemma to have," he said.

Officials also said part of disseminating the weapons is making them easy to train on. "Most of our training sessions, we can train somebody in like, five minutes, to be able to use this system and start shooting things down," Williams said, adding that using standard controllers like those for an Xbox made it intuitive.

The Army's testing of laser weapons and other counter-drone systems at the southern border has reinforced the idea that the US will need layered defenses to counter a range of drone threats. Drug cartels are increasingly using drones to support operations, and the Army has already used lasers to shoot some down.

• The US Army is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on AI that speeds up battlefield decision-making.
• Striveworks' Chariot program is a core AI component of the Army's new NGC2 battlefield software.
• The contract deal will bring Chariot to more Army units as the Pentagon invests heavily in AI.

The US Army is making a major investment in expanding the use of an artificial intelligence platform to help soldiers process battlefield intelligence and make decisions faster.

The $700 million deal between the Army and Striveworks is a tenfold increase from the initial enterprise contract and will bring the company's Chariot AI platform to more units and missions. Chariot is also at the core of the Army's new warfighting software, Next Generation Command and Control, or NGC2.

On Thursday, Striveworks announced the expanded agreement after months of growing demand for Chariot. Jim Rebesco, cofounder and CEO of Striveworks, told Business Insider that soldiers across specialties, from logistics to artillery, have been using the technology for different tasks.

Chariot serves as a hub for AI decision-making, deploying agents to process data and provide human users with information and next steps that align with their jobs, priorities, and commander decisions.

"Those folks are constantly receiving this data coming in from radio, reports, from sensors, from drones," Rebesco explained, "and the first job is to decide: is that a target worth paying attention to? Is it a military vehicle? Is it a tank? Is it something valuable? If so, does that meet with what my commander's priorities are?"

Chariot helps soldiers work through those questions, analyzing incoming data, checking relevant doctrine and legal standards, and comparing potential targets against the commander's priorities.

"It does everything that a team of four to 10 individuals would do over a period of about an hour; it compresses that down into minutes," Rebesco said.

Commanders and soldiers at the Army's 4th Infantry Division, for example, have used Chariot and provided feedback to Striveworks. At Project Convergence Capstone 6 at Fort Irwin, California, Chariot helped soldiers analyze and process more potential targets.

Rebesco said feedback from those exercises and others has been implemented quickly to improve the program's accuracy, speed, and the quality of information provided to soldiers.

Chariot is a key AI component of NGC2, the Army's new command-and-control program developed and tested with soldiers and industry partners in Colorado and Hawaii over the past year. After Project Convergence Capstone, the Army decided to transition NGC2 into the next phase of scaling, pushing it to I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Next steps will include making the technology available to more soldiers and ensuring it is sufficiently rugged to operate in harsh, dispersed environments, including the Indo-Pacific. Chariot also works with other military systems, including Maven and the Integrated Battle Command System, with the same data and agentic processes.

The Pentagon and the different military services are spending billions on AI to speed up battlefield decisions, analyze vast amounts of sensor data, and anticipate ammunition shortages and maintenance needs. Another goal is to lighten cognitive burdens on human users by helping soldiers make sense of more information, faster.

"We know the biggest risk to our national security and our national defense is not moving too fast. It's not moving fast enough," former Army secretary Dan Driscoll said after Project Convergence Capstone in July.

"The side that can sense a target, process the data, and deliver a kinetic effect the fastest wins."

• The US Army is applying lessons from Ukraine and Iran to better prepare its air defenders.
• Forward-deployed air defense units are bringing back lessons from combat.
• Combat simulations are evolving to reflect new battlefield threats and tactics.

Intense missile and drone attacks in global conflicts are showing the US Army how it needs to train its air defenders, as well as how to protect them from threats, Army officials said.

Lessons on protecting MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems and crews are coming in, and Army leaders say those observations are being quickly incorporated into training to help troops keep pace with evolving threats and tactics.

In their war against Ukraine, Russian forces have hunted Patriot batteries and other air-defense systems while also trying to overwhelm them with complex barrages of one-way attack drones alongside ballistic and cruise missiles, providing lessons in mobility, concealment, deception, and dispersal. The war with Iran, meanwhile, has exposed American and allied air defenders to the challenge of defending against large-scale drone and missile bombardments while managing interceptor stocks. The Army is learning those lessons, officials say.

Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, the head of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, told reporters at the Association of the United States Army conference last week that air defenders have been "probably the most aggressive community in the Army for learning lessons from Ukraine," with an emphasis on survivability and the protection of critical assets.

"How have we embraced those observations from Ukraine and then put them into action?" Rafferty said this was one of the first questions he asked when he took command earlier this year.

He said that he has seen how command teams have "put those lessons in place and how they are taking steps to protect their soldiers, to protect the critical systems of Patriots and sensors, protection, camouflage, deception, all of that."

Officials with the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command told Business Insider that observations and lessons from Ukraine are shared with its headquarters at Fort Bliss, Texas, where training materials for air defense soldiers are updated. The information is also shared with the larger Army and industry partners.

The 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command recently transferred to Army Space and Missile Defense Command and is tasked with missile defense planning across different regions. Its responsibilities include both active defenses, such as intercepting incoming missiles, and passive measures, such as camouflage and dispersal, as well as coordinating intelligence and command-and-control.

Rafferty and other officials said that the US war with Iran, which has stress-tested American air defense units, is providing valuable data on air defense. According to Rafferty, roughly 2,500 soldiers from his command are deployed to the Middle East, including both air defense formations and space specialists.

He said that roughly 25% to 30% of the command's air defense formations are deployed. These forces consist primarily of Patriot units and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile defense crews.

"We're taking the things that we're seeing in the Middle East and feeding it back to the other brigades in the formation," Col. Matthew Ingils, deputy commanding officer for operations with the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said.

Lessons include "the types of threats" as well as "the scale, the scope, the complexity of what we're seeing," and then training new formations on that insight so that individual soldiers who join an air defense unit can quickly catch up.

The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East present different challenges, giving the Army a broader range of lessons to incorporate into its training.

To prepare to counter new threats or employ new tactics, soldiers use combat simulations that are being updated with lessons from the Middle East and Ukraine.

Current conflicts have shown the Army and broader US military that air defenses are essential for intercepting missiles and drones, protecting critical assets, and challenging aircraft.

Heavy expenditure of air-defense interceptors and other munitions, however, have raised concerns about whether the US is sufficiently stocked for future fights.

At the same time, air defenders themselves have become priority targets for enemy forces, making dispersal, camouflage, and mobility increasingly important to their survival.

• The US Army is expanding its ranks of soldiers specialized in space warfare.
• Army space personnel are already deployed to the Middle East, where the US has been fighting Iran.
• More than 600 enlisted soldiers joined the new specialty this year, with more growth planned.

The US Army is expanding its ranks of soldiers trained for space warfare, a growing military specialty that is already supporting American combat operations in the Middle East.

The service established a new enlisted space operations branch in June, creating a dedicated career field for soldiers whose work involves satellites, communications, and the ability to disrupt an adversary's use of space.

While the Space Force and its Guardians oversee a broad range of military space operations in support of the entire US military, the Army has its own dedicated specialists focused on supporting its ground forces with satellite communications, navigation, and other capabilities.

Some space soldiers are already deployed in the Middle East, where American forces have been fighting Iran.

Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, the commander of US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said at the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, DC, this week that roughly 2,500 soldiers from his command are deployed to US Central Command's area of operations. That figure includes both air-defense formations and space specialists.

"Space is really embedded in every single echelon there," Rafferty said, speaking of the job's growing prevalence throughout all levels of military decision-making.

Those space soldiers' responsibilities can range from helping ground forces access satellite communications and navigation systems to disrupting adversary space capabilities, known as "space interdiction." Officials did not provide specific examples or further details on the work being done.

For soldiers on the battlefield, such help is essential for communicating with nearby units and gathering intelligence on enemy movements.

The growing importance of space as a domain of warfare, alongside land, sea, air, and cyberspace, prompted the Army to expand its specialized workforce.

Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson said at AUSA that the service reviewed several thousand personnel files for its new enlisted space operations branch. The 600 soldiers ultimately selected for the new job came mostly from intelligence, communications, and air-defense specialties, though the career field is open to troops from other backgrounds.

The service plans to continue growing its formalized space community, with around 1,700 space soldiers by the end of next fiscal year.

"When we talk about the branch and the targets, having a couple thousand dedicated folks within the branch between the enlisted and the officer side is a significant contribution across the service," Col. Joseph Mroszczyk, who oversees the integration of emerging space capabilities into Army operations, said during the event.

• The US Army will detonate 68 barrels of unstable explosive material at an ammunition production plant.
• Officials determined the lead azide couldn't be relocated and are in contact with residents on environmental concerns.
• The facility is also home to the Army's new 155mm artillery production line, which began construction earlier this year.

The US Army will detonate dozens of barrels of unstable explosives at its ammunition plant in Iowa after determining the material couldn't be safely moved, according to a public affairs official.

The lead azide the service needs to get rid of has been stored at the site for almost 20 years and is no longer needed for ammunition production. The detonation will occur near the service's new 155mm artillery production line, construction of which began in July.

The Army informed residents of nearby Middletown, Iowa, this week that it would detonate 68 barrels of lead azide sometime in November. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams will execute the detonation.

"There are 68 barrels of lead azide in two earth-covered magazines, and that material was on site for potential production," Justine Barati, deputy director of public affairs for the US Sustainment Command, told Business Insider. "When we realized that we would no longer need that material or use that material, then it becomes hazardous waste."

A team of experts recommended a controlled explosion to destroy the lead azide, and that decision was elevated to former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll for approval.

Barati said the 155mm facility is on the other side of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant. The Army anticipates a four-hour delay to construction at the facility on the day of the detonation.

The Army asked Middletown residents near the plant to temporarily leave their homes and is offering the Army Reserve Center as a place to stay during the detonation.

About 55 homes are expected to be affected by the detonation decision, Barati said. Local residents can assess any property damage afterward and file claims with the Army. The Iowa newspaper The Hawk Eye first reported on the detonation and town hall with residents.

Lead azide is a highly sensitive and toxic material used as a primary explosive component in some weapons that can pose environmental and health risks. Barati said that prior to and after the detonation, the Army will test air, water, and soil in the area. Residents agreed to give the service access to their properties for the checks.

The Iowa Army Ammunition Plant is a critical production facility for medium- and large-caliber munitions. Earlier this year, the Army began construction of a new production line for 155mm ammunition, replacing the plant's World War II-era M795 artillery production line.

The new facility was designed by the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command's Armament Center and MSM North America to produce different types of 155mm ammunition with the capacity to surge manufacturing for wartime demands.

155mm artillery shells have become a high-demand munition amid recent conflicts. The US has ramped up production after providing millions of rounds to Ukraine. Concerns about the state of US ammo stocks have risen as the military assesses its readiness for future wars.

• The US Army is expanding its use of high-altitude balloons for surveillance and communications.
• The balloons can operate 60,000 to 100,000 feet above Earth, providing space-like capabilities.
• Army officials plan more experiments as the service expands its space warfare ranks.

The US Army is looking to expand its use of high-altitude balloons as the service builds out its capabilities near and in outer space.

These balloons operate in the stratosphere, roughly 60,000 to 100,000 feet above Earth, the space in between where conventional aircraft fly and satellites. Army officials say they see an opportunity to use the balloons to deliver satellite-like surveillance and communication capabilities closer to the battlefield.

Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, commander of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said he was initially skeptical of the technology. He recalled hearing proposals to use high-altitude balloons while serving in what was then Army Futures Command and questioning whether they'd prove practical.

The general's view, however, changed after he saw the balloons hold their positions and conduct high-altitude surveillance during a training exercise.

"I went from nowhere to a huge believer very quickly once I saw them in action," Rafferty said at this week's Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, DC.

The Army is exploring a range of balloon systems for different missions, from surveillance and communications to supporting long-range strikes.

Col. Joseph Mroszczyk, who oversees the efforts to integrate emerging space capabilities into Army operations as the director of Transformation Integration Space Superiority, said at AUSA that he wants a "family of stratospheric systems."

Unlike satellites, which travel set paths in orbit, high-altitude balloons can exploit different wind currents to maneuver or maintain a presence over an area of interest, he said.

Mroszczyk said the Army could use favorable winds to position balloons carrying sensors, communications equipment, or payloads supporting strikes.

"What that enables us to provide is space-like capabilities, really exploiting a transition point between what is normally considered the aerial layer and the space domain," he said.

Operating at those altitudes could give the Army persistent coverage across large areas from the stratosphere without relying exclusively on satellites or conventional aircraft.

The Army plans to conduct multiple experiments involving various stratospheric systems over the coming year, building on tests conducted in Europe and the Pacific. The service has also experimented with the technology alongside combat operations in the Middle East, a senior Army official told Breaking Defense earlier this week.

Those efforts followed the cancellation of a large-scale balloon demonstration planned for the Indo-Pacific last year.

The growing interest in high-altitude balloons comes as the Army expands its role in space and near-space operations, with ground forces increasingly reliant on space-based capabilities for navigation, communications, and intelligence.