CME Supports the War Department Strategy Overhaul and Advanced Weapons Modernization

by CME Press Room | Published November 20, 2025

WASHINGTON – The Coalition for Military Excellence (CME), a national organization dedicated to advocating for veterans and military excellence in the U.S. armed forces, issued the following statement in response to the War Department’s strategic pivot toward advanced weapons modernization and its consolidation of research priorities into six Critical Technology Areas.

“CME strongly supports the War Department’s decision to streamline its research and development efforts to focus on Applied Artificial Intelligence, Scaled Hypersonics, Scaled Directed Energy, Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance, Biomanufacturing, and Contested Logistics Technologies. This strategic shift represents a decisive commitment to ensuring America’s warfighters maintain unmatched lethality and technological dominance in an increasingly dangerous world.

“As adversaries like China and Russia accelerate their own modernization programs, it is essential that the United States field cutting-edge weapons systems capable of outpacing any threat. These new technologies strengthen deterrence, safeguard American troops, and secure our nation’s strategic advantage in contested environments.

“The War Department’s sprint-based approach to rapidly move prototypes to production reflects the mission-focused excellence CME has long championed. Modernizing our arsenal is central to retaining top talent, reinforcing unit cohesion, and ensuring our forces are prepared for the high-end fight. Every investment that places superior capabilities directly in the hands of our warfighters reinforces merit-based leadership, operational preparedness, and the excellence required to win America’s wars.

“CME stands firmly behind the men and women who will employ these next-generation systems and commends Secretary Pete Hegseth and Under Secretary Emil Michael for prioritizing innovation over bureaucracy. Their actions signal a clear understanding of today’s threat landscape and a steadfast commitment to equipping American servicemembers with the most advanced and lethal technologies on the planet,” said Amber Smith, CME Military Advisor.

The Coalition for Military Excellence (CME) is a national organization dedicated to advocating for veterans and military excellence in the U.S. armed forces. CME is committed to combating policies and practices that undermine military excellence and threaten veteran support services. CME’s mission is to ensure the United States military remains focused on our nation's security through merit, strength, and excellence, while advocating for veterans and military.

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CME has a roster of experienced, veteran and military ambassadors available for comment or interview. If you're interested in getting their unique perspectives for your coverage, please email inquiries@militaryexcellence.org.