What We Are Learning from the Contested Edge

This presentation, delivered by the T2COM G-2 at the 2026 Maneuver Warfighting Conference, outlines the evolving nature of the modern battlefield and the threats facing U.S. Army ground forces.

It details critical insights from contemporary conflicts, emphasizing concepts such as the proliferation of unmanned systems, which have transformed lethality on the battlefield. The presentation examines how adversaries, particularly the PLA, are pursuing “intelligentized warfare” by integrating AI, robotics, and swarming drone tactics to overwhelm U.S. forces in the “next fight.”

The brief explores the strategic importance of dominating key terrain using land-based forces to project power across maritime, air, and space domains. It discusses implications for maneuver forces integrating layered defenses, fires, and robust expeditionary logistics to counter threats in complex environments like the Pacific. It discuss readiness for a future fight that is multidomain, highly lethal, and technologically driven by a pacing threat that continues to learn and modernize to defeat the U.S. Army.