Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said Monday at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting that the Army’s modernization programs are at risk from ongoing congressional budget disputes, Military.com reported.
In his keynote address, McCarthy said the Army needs an immediate infusion of added funding to maintain progress in innovation, according to the report.
The Army’s legacy systems “have served us well for the last 40 years,” he said.  But he added they will not meet current challenges of achieving the balance between readiness for current conflicts while preparing for future battlefields.
McCarthy referred to the continuing resolution (CR) passed by Congress and signed into law in September, keeping defense spending at the $716 billion fiscal 2019 level through Nov. 21 while lawmakers debate contentious issues, according to the report.
Earlier this summer Congress and the White House agreed to a FY 2020 $738 billion defense budget, though the appropriations process has been stalled due to political differences and the recent congressional recess.
McCarthy and the new Army leadership team, including Army Chief Gen. James McConville, Vice Chief Gen. Joseph Martin and Army Sgt. Major Michael Grinston all made their first appearances in their current roles at the meeting focused on technology innovation, the report said.
Both McCarthy and McConville have pressed for 31 modernization programs to replace so-called “legacy systems,” according to the report.