Ronald P. Clark
Coverage of Ronald P. Clark in the Nexus archive.
- Army wants up to 100 drone boats to fill watercraft gap in Pacific
The U.S. Army plans to acquire 30 to 100 autonomous drone boats to address a Pacific watercraft shortage, with testing set for 2025. The Army's fleet has declined from 134 vessels in 2018 to 70 in 2024, with mission-capable rates dropping below 40%. Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner and Gen. Ronald Clark emphasized the need for heavy-duty autonomous vessels to transport supplies and equipment in the region.
- The US Army has a new self-contained Pacific command built for a complex fight
The US Army activated the Multi-Domain Command Pacific by merging the 7th Infantry Division and 1st Multi-Domain Task Force. The new command combines maneuver forces with drones, sensors, cyber, and long-range fires to operate as a self-contained force in the Pacific. It was tested during Balikatan 2026, a joint exercise with the Philippines.