The shift in our military focus to competing in an era of great-power competition demands an even greater understanding of logistics and highlights the breadth of the requirement to support the entirety of the force in innovative ways, from training in the United States to deploying far from home. Port facilities capable of handling critical munitions movements are critical to force deployment and sustainment. The Importance of Military Logistics The Swiss strategist Antoine Henri Jomini defined "logistics" as "the practical art of moving armies." [8] He listed 18 constituent elements of a wide range: "successive arrival of convoys of supplies. The ability to make the force more survivable requires both technological improvements that reduce the need for large footprints in bulk liquids and ammunition and refocused training and logistics concepts. Logistics always over-promises and under delivers. Airlift, composed of the Civil Reserve air and cargo fleets19 and thus a critical capability that directly affects our ability to move large portions of our force and their associated sustainment to points of crisis around the globe, is similarly limited. The importance of the global commons reigns supreme. Perhaps not so obvious is the interconnectedness of supply readiness to all other aspects of unit readiness. To the lowest war fighter, logistics support must . Static inventory is distribution moving at zero miles per hour, and anything that is static on the modern battlefield has little chance of remaining survivable. DLAs activity is spread across 48 U.S. states and in 28 different countries.12. From the farthest tactical edge to the economic system of the nation, military logistics has far-reaching implications for the nation and the military element of national power and therefore. Military logistics involves the interaction of military and government entities with private, commercial, foreign, and multinational organizations worldwide. It does this with a total wartime personnel capability of 45,945 active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen; 73,058 Reserve and Guard personnel; and 19,104 DOD civilian personnelnumbers that do not include the significant contributions of USTRANSCOMs commercial partners or the contributions of foreign entities.10. The core functions within logistics are supply, maintenance, deployment and distribution, health services, logistic services, engineering, and operational contract support (OCS).7 Logistics includes planning and executing the movement and support of forces as well as those aspects of military operations that deal with: Thus, military logistics defining attributesagility, survivability, responsiveness, and effectivenessare measured by the breadth and depth of these core functions, which affect the military from force generation to training to the readiness of units stationed at home and abroad. Major-General Carl von Clausewitz, On War. In January 2003 momentum was really gaining and APS-3 downloaded several ships of equipment into theater. This situation will strain the systems, processes, and resources intrinsic in military logistics, and exacerbate the friction along the combatants' lines of communications. Improvements in logistics effectiveness require improved integrated capabilities and authorities that allow logistics challenges to be resolved at the lowest levels, leveraging shared awareness, and focused on effectiveness. Improved responsiveness through domain-wide visibility and predictive logistics capabilities driven by improved artificial intelligence capabilities will provide sustainment based on finely tuned metrics that eliminate the need to request support. The authors examine the logistics and sustainment aspects of an emerging operational concept for employing a family of unmanned aerial vehicles that can be launched, recovered, and sustained with minimal reliance on runways. Additionally, two of the three Maritime Prepositioning squadrons supporting the U.S. Marine Corps were unloaded at the Ash Shuayba Port in Kuwait. For this to happen, the U.S. government needs the appropriate license rights and actual possession of the data. Improvements in munitions and energy systems will directly improve the speed and reliability of the force and, thus, its logistical survivability and effectiveness. The ability to measure effectiveness against efficient performance is critical. "Leaders win through logistics. Ultimately, the effectiveness of any logistics capability is determined at the tactical level, but sustained success at the tactical level requires effectiveness further upstream at the operational and strategic levels. In addition, the success of every new system and concept, every new technology and military organization, must be evaluated against the commensurate evolution and revolution in logistics sustainability. The problem is made worse by the complexity of dealing with both old and new technologies in a single logistics enterprise. The best example of a military outrunning its supply lines are the German experiences in both World Wars. Developments in mechanized, aerial, and amphibious warfare made the logistic support of armed forces vastly more complicated and extensive (Nelson, 1992). In a time of constrained fiscal resources, this means doing differently with less. But there are challenges all along the supply chain, addressed by different agencies and military commands in a complicated set of processes, and a collective reluctance to assume responsibility for the mission. The term, first used by Henri Jomini, Alfred Thayer Mahan, and others, was adopted by the U.S. military in World War I and gained currency in other nations in World War II. COURIER, 2020, Vol. Shipbuilding History, Large Naval Ships and Submarines, http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/navalships.htm (accessed July 27, 2018). the great importance the alliance attaches to the civil dimension and its impact on military operations. Utilizing its people, trucks, trains, railcars, aircraft, ships, information systems, and distribution infrastructure, as well as commercial partners 1,203 aircraft in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) and 379 vessels in the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA), USTRANSCOM provides the U.S. military with highly responsive strategic mobility.11 Its handoff to service logistics personnel around the globe creates a distribution pipeline that moves critical sustainment from the factory to the tactical edge of U.S. military operations. A highly motivated, resilient and inspirational individual who possesses an extensive array of equipment . With a single command, the soldiers needed can be supplied by the drone wherever they are. Logistics. 169180. The ability of the system to support the joint force in the event of major conflict is at best untested and could be problematic. The use of unmanned platforms will be critical to the future of agile logistics. The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PardeeRAND.edu) is home to the only Ph.D. and M.Phil. General Darren W. McDew, U.S. Air Force, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, statement On the State of the Command before the Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate, April 10, 2018, pp. Shipyard capacities and the impact of deferred maintenance due to shortages of parts in the Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps have been highlighted as factors in the need for improved force readiness.18. Mattis, Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States of America, p. 6. Although many of industrys best practices and technologies are relevant and even vital to the modernization of military logistics, the agility, survivability, responsiveness, and effectiveness of military logistics require another level of integrated innovation in technology and operational concepts. Not explicitly addressed in the NDS but fundamentally implied is the equally daunting challenge of winning the home games by having the critical militaryindustry partnerships and dedicated infrastructure that serve as the preparation and launching pads for our forces. Stay on top of the latest RAND research highlights, news, and commentary with the official RAND email newsletter. Because of their logistic importance, fabrication and assembly plants, highway networks, ports and canals became a primary focus. Informed commanders. Its nature is expressed in operational choices and decisions, and is fundamental to military preparedness. Success at the operational level requires the integration of logistics capabilities contributed by all entities involved in military affairs, to include service, coalition-partner, interagency, governmental, private/commercial, and host-nation capabilities. During World War II logistics gained importance in army operations covering the movement of supplies, men & equipment across the border Today It has acquired the wider meaning and is used in the business for the movement of material from suppliers to the manufacturer and finally the finished goods to the consumers. Logistics, the means of strategy and tactics, determines what is practically possible in war. Michael Howard and Peter Paret (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1989), p. 95. The most important of these was to guarantee free daily rations for the soldiers, amounting to two pounds of bread or hardtack a day. They are in charge of everything from buying new machinery to training of troops, and maintenance of vehicles and facilities. RAND researchers present a Future Logistics Concept Assessment Framework, which is a disciplined, systematic way to assess proposed future logistics concepts to meet the requirements of the National Defense Strategy. Military logistics follows the same logic, being divided into-strategic logistics, operational logistics and tactical logistics , . Having greater logistics capability than the enemy is a force multiplier. Logistics contributes to cost reduction and efficiency improvement By proactively monitoring inventory levels, Logistics management helps businesses to decrease expenses in a variety of areas, from shipping prices to the amount of storage space required. The force of tomorrow must be ready to defeat a peer competitor in a broad battlespace that requires security for each logistics movement, the ability to off-load across various widely distributed locations, with minimal infrastructure, and in a communications-degraded environment. A logistics management system underpins that effort and includes inbound and outbound transportation management, warehouse management, fleet management, order processing, inventory control, supply and demand forecasting, and managing third-party logistics (3PL) service providers. The Timelessness and Ever-Changing Nature of Logistics. However, the concentration on the military mission with regard to effects, while logical from a military perspective, is cause for a gravely misleading perception among civil actors. The Importance of In-Transit Visibility on U. S. Military Logistics INTRODUCTION Just as Abraham Maslow presented a hierarchy of human needs from survival to growth, military logistics mirrors this building block approach to satisfying certain basic needs before more advanced facets of military strategy and doctrine can be formulated. Logistics and supply-chain management Alexander's 35,000-man army could carry no more than a 10-day supply of food when remote from sea transport.1 Yet, This focus on effectiveness will prioritize the forces critical logistics needs by evaluating all requirements against mission success and differentiating the critical requirements from the multitude of inputs: in essence, providing the nail at the right time and place that prevents having to build a complete inventory of shoes, horses, and riders in order to win the battle.30. In addition to ensuring that modernized logistics capabilities are appreciated as central to regaining our military advantage, logistics capabilities must be considered in the ongoing discussion of solutions to overcome the current readiness shortfalls of todays military. However, the word's main importance was first understood during World War II and then started to be viewed and applied to logistics as a scientific subject. Logistics became particularly important for being the backbone of the entire supply chain. The U.S. military has not had to fight its way to the fight since World War II. According to one account: In January 2003, MSC began the build-up for what would become Operation Iraqi Freedom. The research findings summarize Patton's career and his exposure to the importance logistics plays in modern war. Is the Defense Acquisition System Postured to Solve National Defense Strategy Operational Problems? 31. New principles must be embraced to achieve the requirements for successful logistics capabilities in support of operational commanders and the National Defense Strategy. Six months may seem a long time, but the volume of activity was immense. While 10 percent of the cargo was delivered by other means, primarily aircraft, understanding the magnitude and significance of sea-based sustainment is critical to understanding what it takes to deploy and employ the U.S. military. This research brief highlights the likely changes that will arise in global mobility requirements for UK Armed Forces between now and 2040. See Esper and Milley, statement On the Posture of the United States Army, April 12, 2018; Spencer, statement on Fiscal Year 2019 Department of the Navy Budget, April 19, 2018; Richardson, statement on Fiscal Year 2019 Navy Budget, April 19, 2018; Neller, statement on The Posture of the United States Marine Corps, April 19, 2018; and Wilson and Goldfein, USAF Posture Statement: Fiscal Year 2019, April 24, 2018. Military operations involve multifaceted threats, many with differing agendas, reactive capabilities, and adaptive competencies in a non-static environment. (ARL Magazine) One of the most important areas of every army is logistics. "The mechanics of the processes are often similar, but the shipping requirements are often different. Importance of Logistics 5. The Air Force needs better access to contractors' technical data to sustain core military aircraft assets and subsystems. Unmanned platforms that support ground distribution will complement unmanned aerial platforms that deliver vital sustainment to widely distributed forces. For the U.S. to be able to sustain effective combat operations in the modern era, it must prioritize prepositioned forward stocks and munitions, strategic mobility assets, partner and allied support, as well as non-commercially dependent distributed logistics and maintenance to ensure logistics sustainment while under persistent multi-domain attack.16. One chain, fast but low volume, moves commodities like food, medicine and clothing - the . It is often termed "the Forgotten War" in the United States. Military partnerships exponentially improve the depth of logistics capacity available, creating force posture options that may not have existed before, shape regional capability, and influence long-term commitment through the sharing of organic and non-organic national industrial capability. Military Logistics: A Brief History - Logistics is a relatively new word used to describe a very old practice: the supply, movement and maintenance of an armed force both in peacetime and under operational conditions. Throughout the past decades, the military helped revolutionize the world of logistics in a myriad of ways. Availability and delivery of parts and spare components, maintenance capability and the capacity to surge increased maintenance volume on short notice, the ability to contract additional support when necessaryall of these logistical elements are essential to military effectiveness. This report presents algorithms that monitor the U.S. Army logistics distribution system and automatically detect distribution issues that might affect equipment readiness. RAND has long provided guidance and effective solutions to military supply and logistics decisionmakers, resulting in significant savings, improved readiness and combat support, and unit flexibility. The combination of innovation and new technology is therefore critical to maintaining the competitive logistical advantage that U.S. forces have enjoyed since World War II. It is the Army's responsibility to position the right assets for the joint force to seize the initiative in large-scale combat operations. Robert L. Wilke, Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness, memorandum, DOD Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Service Members, February 14, 2018, https://news.usni.org/2018/02/16/new-pentagon-separation-policy-non-deployable-service-members (accessed May 29, 2018). The third foundation, the morale of his troops, was directly affected by the first two.15 Slims ability to innovate in planning, organizing, and sustaining his logistics enterprise was critical to his logistics success. Before they became RAND researchers, Jonathan Wong and Joslyn Fleming served as U.S. Marines. Mathematical optimization of a common, periodically updated authorized stockage list for each of the U.S. Army's three types of ground brigade combat teams provides improved performance in support of equipment readiness and reduced transition costs. While not a new consideration in designing a force for tomorrow that remains relevant today, the development of integrated, agile, technologically advanced, and effective logistics systems that drive efficiencies into every corner of the military is increasingly essential in todays dynamic, fast-paced, and ever-changing national security environment. "The line between disorder and order lies in logistics". In this interview, they discuss what made them want to join the service, what led them to research, and how their military experience guides the work they do at RAND. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines logistics as the aspect of military science dealing with the procurement, maintenance, and transportation of military materiel, facilities, and personnel.2 The Joint Chiefs of Staffs Logistics elaborates on this definition and quotes Rear Admiral Henry E. Eccless 1959 statement that Logistics is the bridge between the economy of the Nation and the tactical operations of its combat forces. 18. The U.S. joint force's ability to move materiel and people across oceans and continents is unique among militaries. They also coordinated the loading of another 10 MSC ships at Tacoma, Wash., and San Diego, Calif., which resulted in the movement of over 1 million square feet of military equipment for the U.S. Marine Corps 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and the U.S. Armys 101st Airborne Division. Admiral Brewer put these accomplishments into context: The amount of cargo we delivered could fill all 119 Division 1-A college football fields three times over.22 Specifically: From November 2002 to May 2003, nearly 85,000 pieces of cargo and 4,000 containers of ammunition, requiring 16 million square feet of cargo space, were loaded aboard MSC ships under MSC Atlantics operational control. Fundamentals In the conduct of war, war-making activity behind the cutting edge of combat has always defied simple definition. It should be noted, however, that in the years since these tremendous accomplishments, the size of the force available to execute these missions has shrunk considerably. U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Logistics, Joint Publication 4-0, October 16, 2013, p. I-1, http://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp4_0.pdf (accessed May 29, 2018). They are innovative in thought and practice, with a command and control architecture that is immunized against cyber and electronic warfare threats, and data-driven through predictive analytics. We propose interventions that accelerate concurrent development of new operational and logistics concepts. These 1,089 ships included 32 carriers, 10 battleships, 62 cruisers, 442 destroyers, and 563 frigates and destroyer escorts.26 Compare this to the Navys Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2019, which proposes the construction of 54 battle force ships during the five years from 2019 to 2024.27. Mattis, Summary of the latest RAND research highlights, news, and adaptive competencies in a myriad of.... 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