Sen. John Cornyn revealed at a press conference Wednesday with Chancellor John Sharp and Gen. John Murray that Texas A&M will receive up to $65 million over the next five years to research new technologies for the Army Futures Command.
According to a statement from the A&M system, its agreement with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) will include the construction of a combat development complex at the RELLIS campus in Bryan. This will involve an $80 million investment from the A&M System Board of Regents for a Research Innovation Center and $50 million from the Texas Legislature for an Innovative Proving Ground.
The combat development complex’s purpose is to research and develop specialized technologies and weaponry to modernize the Army.
“[The complex] will help develop prototypes for defense-related hypersonics and directed energy in a one-of-a-kind, kilometer-long tunnel,” the statement said. “It will have laboratories, runways, underground and open-air battlefields and a resilient network of sensors and systems for data collection, analysis and storage.”
Sharp said the A&M system is proud of the similar research it has done in the past and hopes to bring the same success in the cooperative agreement with Army Futures Command.
“The Texas A&M System is already contributing significantly to our nation’s defense with our duties helping manage the Los Alamos National Laboratory,” Sharp said in the statement. “We are proud that Army Futures Command has chosen to work with us on their important mission.”
According to Cornyn, the collaboration will provide the Army with the technological advancements to sustain global influence.
“This partnership with the Texas A&M University System will ensure we have the best and the brightest working to address rapidly evolving threats and maintain our strategic advantage around the world,” Cornyn said in the statement.