Thread by @ronkainen7k15

The US Army has posted a video earlier this month providing an overview about the Waypoint 2028 reorganization plan of the US Army.

One of goal of Waypoint 2028 is to rebuilt the Army's organizational structures to ensure success and defeat peer threats in great power competition. This thread is about to explain what will change in the future.

The US Army has now been organized around modular brigade combat teams (BCT), but nowadays it's changing. By 2028, the US Army will become a Multi-Domain capable Army. The key takeaway is moving towards a division-centric force.

Three types of brigade combat teams are still retained, but they will be integrated into new WayPoint Army Divisions.

The WayPoint Divisions include five new types of the Army divisions, namely Airborne Joint Forcible Entry Division (JFE), Air Assault Joint Forcible Entry Division (JFE), standard Light Division, standard Heavy Division and Penetration Division.

First of all, the JFE Division consists of a HQ battalion, three infantry brigades, a division cavalry squadron, a combat aviation brigade, an MPF tank battalion, a field artillery brigade, a division engineer battalion, a protection brigade and a division sustainment brigade.

There are two types of the JFE divisions: Airborne and Air Assault. Airborne JFE Division is equipped to conduct parachute assaults and Air Assault Division is equipped to conduct helicopter assaults.

Then, standard Light Division consists of a HQ BN, three infantry brigades, a combat aviation brigade, an MPF tank battalion, a field artillery brigade, a division engineer battalion, a protection brigade and a division sustainment brigade.

The structure of Light Division is similar to JFE division, but it lacks a division-level cavalry squadron. Therefore, the division MPF battalion equipped with Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) light tank will also perform reconnaissance missions.

Its Infantry brigade structure is the same as the JFE division infantry brigade, which consists of a HHC, three infantry battalions, a brigade cavalry troop, a military intelligence company, a signal company and a brigade support battalion.

Standard Heavy Division consists of a HQ BN, two armored brigades, a Stryker brigade, a combat aviation brigade, a field artillery brigade, a division engineer battalion, a protection brigade and a division sustainment brigade.

Heavy Division Armored brigade consists of a HHC, three combined arms battalions (CAB), a cavalry squadron, an engineer battalion and a brigade support battalion. Balanced CABs are reorganized to a single variation consisted of two mechanized companies and two tank companies.

Heavy Division Stryker brigade consists of a HHC, three infantry battalions, a cavalry squadron and a brigade support battalion.

It's noteworthy that Heavy Division Stryker brigades will be able to be reinforced by an Abrams-equipped task force from the armored brigades after MGS retired, if required.

Heavy Division Field Artillery brigade consists of a HHC, two 155mm tracked self-propelled artillery battalions, a 155mm towed artillery battalion and a brigade support battalion. The ratio of artillery battalions is the same as that of combat brigades.

It should be noted that 155mm towed artillery battalion from original Stryker brigade will field new truck-mounted Next Generation Howitzer (NGH) wheeled self-propelled howitzer to replace M777.

Finally the most important change Waypoint identified is to create what’s being called the “Penetration Division.” Penetration Division will be a fist of the Army to counter Russia and China in ground large scale combat operations.

Penetration Division consists of a HQ BN, three armored brigades, a division cavalry squadron, a combat aviation brigade, a field artillery brigade, an engineer brigade, a protection brigade and a division sustainment brigade.

Penetration Division Armored brigade consists of a HHC, three balanced combined arms battalions (CAB), a brigade cavalry troop, a robotic combat vehicle (RCV) company, a combat engineer battalion and a brigade support battalion.

Within the division-level squadron, there will be three cavalry troops, each with two tank platoons and two scout platoons, in addition to a surveillance company and a squadron support company.

Penetration Division Field Artillery brigade will have the M1299 ERCA in its formations as an organic capability, which consists of a HHC, three 155mm tracked self-propelled artillery battalions, an Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) battalion and a brigade support battalion.

Protection Brigade (PB) is a new unit to protect every division's rear area during the attack. PB consists of an engineer battalion, a military police battalion, a Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) battalion, a CBRN battalion and a brigade support battalion.

Among them, M-SHORAD battalion with IM-SHORAD system and DE M-SHORAD system will provide better protection of maneuver forces at increased ranges and with improved mobility, allowing a stronger air defense of the Army and the Joint Force.

Tasked Organized Units from Corps (1/3)

1⃣An MLRS or HIMARS multiple rocket launcher artillery battalion

2⃣An echelons above brigade (EAB) cannon artillery battalion

3⃣An Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) air defense artillery battalion

Tasked Organized Units from Corps (2/3)

1⃣An Expeditionary Signal Battalion Enhanced (ESB-E) battalion

2⃣A Space section

3⃣An Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade

4⃣An Intelligence & Electronic Warfare (IEW) battalion

5⃣An electronic warfare company

Tasked Organized Units from Corps (3/3)

1⃣An engineer battalion

2⃣An explosive ordnance disposal battalion

3⃣A military information support battalion

4⃣A civil affairs battalion

5⃣A medical brigade

6⃣A medical battalion

In order to fulfill the ability to close the Division General Support deep fires gap, the MLRS/HIMARS system and the ERCA howitzer could be task-organized to the Heavy and Light Divisions for missions.

The Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) System is a mobile, ground-based weapon system designed to defeat UAS and cruise missiles.

Congress had previously forced the Army to buy Iron Dome as the first increment of IFPC. In September, Dynetics' Enduring Shield has won the competition to build the IFPC increment 2.

For the time being, the US Army has chosen 1st Cavalry Division and 1st Armored Division as Penetration Divisions. 1CD will be reorganized in the summer of 2023 for the pilot program.

Next summer the US Army TRADOC will publish an updated FM 3-0 Field Manual designed to provide guidance and a framework for Army operations.