The Air Force also plans to dramatically increase spending on advanced engine research for NGAD.
Soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division will be the first to field the new weapons and optics.
The shooting system could replace the 1980s-era MILES system.
“It may be that we completely break the [Air Force Specialty Code] structure," said Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller, the service's personnel chief.
Units with 101st Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment are testing the weapons now.
The unit will test how mobile they are with new weapons as compared to legacy firearms.
The Army will choose a single robotic vehicle from the four companies selected to build prototypes over the next year.
The pilot program is the Air Force’s attempt to mirror the troop packages put forward by the other armed forces.
Phase one concluded in June. Phase two begins in 2023.
The service is now pursuing a more significant modernization effort to increase mobility and survivability on the battlefield.
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