The road ahead for the Army’s Future Combat Systems will be
anything but smooth, a senior official said.
“We will always have to fight for the program and demonstrate
we can get there. And that’s an everyday fight,” predicted
Lt. Gen. Joseph Yakovac Jr., military deputy of the Army for acquisition,
logistics and technology. “That is the nature of the beast
we live in.” Immediate war-spending priorities make long-term
projects harder to sell, Yakovac told an industry conference. The
perception that FCS is on the wrong track also has been fueled by
media reports quoting retired officers, whom Yakovac chided for
speaking about a subject they may know little about. “If you
aren’t current, keep your mouth shut,” he advised. “Time
has passed you by.”