Revolution in military logistics: The arithmetics of logistics

<< The shift in the operational doctrine of warfare from platform-centric to network-centric necessitates transformation of military logistics as well. This will ensure the fielding of a force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every stage of operations >>

Logistics is the key element of the war-fighting supply support and this has been amply demonstrated in almost all the wars that have been fought. The evolution in logistics practices has been a continuous phenomenon and has been driving the logistics managers to ensure the required material support to sustain operations in both peace and war. This transformation has been driven by technological innovations, changes in the conduct of warfare, lessons learned, and the ever-expanding roles and functions of the military. The pace of transformation in military logistics has, however, been rapid in the post Cold-War period. Also, the transformation has been influenced by corresponding changes in logistics practices of the civil sector.

A significant shift in military affairs has been due to the impact of IT. The advancements in computer science, communications, geographical information systems (GIS) and other IT sectors have resulted in shift in the operational doctrine from platform centric warfare to network centric warfare (NCW) globally. GIS, a by-product of the digital age, have found numerous civil niches but increasingly have penetrated into a range of military and security applications. The most recent step in this progressive evolution is the fusion of GIS with Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) products forming an integral part of the NCW. Since military logistics is closely linked with warfare, this revolution in military affairs has to be supported by a corresponding Revolution in Military Logistics (RML).

Change drivers for military logistics
Logistics is the lifeblood of any army. Changing how we fight influences changes in how we support. The transformation objective is to field a force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every point of the spectrum of operations. This transformation challenges the army to balance near-term readiness and force modernisation in an environment of increased missions and fewer resources. Major drivers forcing the transformation of military logistics are as follows:-

• Evolution of NCW – Army transformation is about changing the way we fight. It is the process of converting the army’s focus and structure to a full spectrum combat force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every stage of conflict.
• Emergence of IT and GIS – The precision delivery of combat service support is anticipatory; it provides significant efficiencies in both supply and distribution which have been made possible due to the explosive growth in high speed IT hardware, GIS/ GPS, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and software technologies. Enhancement in efficiency in both supply and distribution is achieved by integrating location-based services, intelligent transportation systems, wireless technologies and GPS as well as critical transportation infrastructure data (roads, tunnels and dams) and real-time information sources (road conditions, construction, and incidents) from more than 150 worldwide datasets. Precise, real-time knowledge of the disposition of their assets allows commanders to manoeuvre combat service support assets as quickly as they manoeuvre combat elements, thereby shaping the battle.
• High speed communications – By leveraging IT with high speed communications consisting of satellite and terrestrial communication, logisticians will be empowered to provide the right support at the right time and at the right place. They no longer will rely on ‘historical’ data. Rather, they will have real-time, predictive information to make intelligent decisions and optimise force readiness. Global wireless communications will provide soldiers the capability to reach and ‘see’ virtually anywhere on the battlefield or in the world. A seamless logistics system that ties all parts of the logistics community into one network of shared situational awareness and unified action can be achieved only in an environment dominated by global, wireless, assured communications. Many world-class commercial companies have reduced inventories significantly and now rely on real-time information, coupled with rapid transportation, to meet customers’ demands. Today, a large number of communications satellites orbit the earth for commercial use of global wireless communications for both voice and data. These types of communications systems are being developed for a global commercial market, but have broad applications for military use at the strategic, operational and tactical levels for supporting a modern force in tomorrow’s army.
• Best business practices – Methodologies and applications used in private industry that elevate a commercial enterprise above the competition are referred to as ‘commercial best practices’. Best practices enable leading-edge organisations to deliver world-class standards of performance to their customers. These best practices and standards of performance have generated much interest within the army logistics community, which is constantly being asked to do more with less. RML, as a precursor and roadmap to the Objective Force, could be accelerated greatly by investigating and embracing many commercial logistics best practices. Integrated supply chain management, industry’s changing view of logistics, electronic commerce, automated identification technology, direct vendor delivery, load optimisation, outsourcing and smart simple design are all examples of commercial best practices that could be very useful in helping the army achieve the RML.
• Shrinking defence budgets – Due to the shrinking defence budgets the world over, there are political compulsions to reduce the number of people in military. Instead of reducing the number of combat forces, the military generally gets reorganised by reducing the logistics capability. Unfortunately, these support forces are often the key to sustaining the dominant combat power of fighting forces. In the civil industry, emergence of commercial best practices took place because of downsizing and a hunger for profitability, or doing more with less. So it stands to reason that there could be a great deal of benefit to army by implementing these best practices of the commercial sector.

Requirements of future logistics support
1) Future logistics support must enable aggressive reduction in the manoeuvre sustainment footprint with fewer vehicles and leverage reach-back capabilities. Ideally, combat forces are empowered by logistics, not encumbered by it!

Army logistics in future will have to become more agile in order to cope with the demands of dynamic RML support to the agile and mobile combat forces. Logistics agility involves the following:-

a) Structural agility – Structural agility will be accomplished through total integration of all the components of army, incorporation of support teams from other services, and industry partners of army. Logistics task forces need to be able to scale up and down in size, as well as in technical expertise. Personnel, teams and units from all components should be capable of deploying and moving independently to an in-theatre rendezvous location.

b) Physical agility – It enhances the ability to deploy and manoeuvre the operational infrastructure of the distribution-based logistics system. Distribution-based logistics depends on an integrated, intermodal network of information systems, distribution platforms, and automated materials-handling equipment. The logistics units and personnel operating this network must be able to manoeuvre the component systems and control the movement of the distribution platforms on the fly without degrading the throughput of sustainment to the fighting forces.

c) Mental agility – It refers to attitude. RML is fast logistics. All logistics managers in the supply chain need to think several steps ahead, all the time. Real-time, 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week operations will be the norm. Additionally, many of the initiatives in the Revolution in Business Affairs that streamline and improve logistics, acquisition and financial processes contribute to this new, heightened agility.

d) Acquisition agility – In order to keep pace with the fast-changing demands of NCW, the acquisition system must support rapid and flexible access to a wide range of commercial sources of supply. The agile acquisition system also will be crucial to designing, building and fielding the advanced systems and modernisation packages. Reduced development cycles will provide state-of-the-art technology to the field forces at a price the nation will be willing to pay.

2) Increased ability to handle tremendous volumes of transactions and the ability to amass, analyse, and control large quantities of specialised data to improve efficiency, accuracy and reduced costs while providing faster, more reliable and convenient services.

3) The future logistics environment requires a continuous interaction among requirements, technology and capabilities. On the one hand, we need to match technology with known logistics requirements; on the other hand, leading-edge technology may present opportunities that the warfighter has not even considered.

4) Future logistics systems need to have reduced logistics footprint. The number and type of weapon systems needed by land forces in the battle space to hold and dominate terrain will change, and so will the operational and tactical logistics requirements. Adequate logistics footprint, as an RML tenet, is not just about reduction, it is also about balancing the right size, the right amount, and the right knowledge to do the job in supporting 21st century operations. It is the result of a reduced logistics demand, more lethally efficient weapons, IT that focusses directly on warfighter, a seamless logistics system that allows for streamlining redundant support functions and organisations, and a transformation from a supply-based to a distribution-based logistics system.

The logistics footprint of the future will need to ensure a more precise balance between ‘Just in Case’ and ‘Just in Time’ with a goal of ‘Just Enough.’ Developments in Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) integrated into GIS, and an interface with industry will enhance automated tracking of assets throughout the world.

Focussed logistics – the way forward
Focussed logistics is the fusion of logistics information and transportation technologies for rapid crisis response; deployment and sustainment; the ability to track and shift units, equipment and supplies even while en route, and delivery of tailored logistics packages and sustainment directly to the warfighter. Distribution within the theatre focuses on establishing distribution management structure and battlefield architecture to maintain visibility and control over the pipeline. The end result of establishing a distribution management structure will be efficiencies gained in transportation and the requisition pipeline, and decreased theatre stockage objectives.

To implement the concept of focussed logistics, the logistics fraternity need to lay emphasis on four areas: a logistics data network, a responsive distribution system, a robust modular force reception capability, and an integrated supply chain. A high speed logistics data network coupled with application software on GIS platform will provide not only in-transit visibility in real-time but also total asset visibility. This will allow commanders to adjust resupply operations while en route, determine supply and maintenance requirements and act appropriately before the critical time, and make the current distribution system truly responsive. Role of GIS in logistics planning can be highlighted as under:-

1) GIS based transportation logistics and real-time tracking – Army logisticians have to coordinate the movement of large number of military vehicles, freight, equipment, and personnel throughout the length and breadth of the theatre of operations to support military strategy and tactics. GIS enabled application ensures the following:-

• IT in conjunction with GIS technology helps in providing a fully secure, web-based multi-component display, reporting and analysis application able to monitor military cargo across the transportation networks and overseas.
• GIS based system generates highly detailed maps useful for troop and cargo transport. Maps can identify optimal routes and display an array of static and dynamic features, including road and weather conditions, schools, hospitals, bridges and waterways.
• System can also track vehicles/ shipments in real-time and even pinpoint the exact location and content of any shipment. Alerts are provided if cargo deviates from a charted course.
• GIS based system also caters to emergency response capabilities by illustrating the effects of hazardous materials and/ or explosives on a geographic area through state-of-the-art modelling tools.
• Internet mapping capabilities of such a solution also enable to move from a transportation data display tool to a global system for effective decision making, logistics and asset management.
• A single interface to visualise assets critical to security such as airports, dams, water plants, bus and commuter rail lines and facilities, nuclear power plants, and power grids. This common operating environment can help in improving response time and minimising fatalities during emergency situations and global deployments.
• Ability to organise, manage and track military personnel and cargo and the status of the sensitive shipments.

2) Deployed visibility – There are two challenges to tracking assets in a military environment. First, to constantly have a permanent view of the location of the assets, and how they are moving. Second, to be alerted if they deviate from their prescribed route, especially if they go into a dangerous area. The in transit visibility of assets, total visibility of assets and inventory is achieved by Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology integrated with GIS. Important features of in transit visibility are:-

1. RFID tags are placed on cases and pallets of goods with the purpose of tracking material throughout the supply process. RFID data is then fed to various stakeholders’ systems across the supply chain to achieve a good measure of visibility for supplies, stocks and assets.
2. Initially, RFID required an infrastructure to be put in place locally in the form of RFID readers. The new lot of tags are able to form themselves into ad hoc mesh networks that transmit data to each other. In this kind of network, the last tag in a line transmits all the data to back-end systems which manage the data.
3. Next generation wireless technologies will improve and enhance mesh networking technologies which will reduce the size, weight and power requirements of the tags and improve firmware to support data encryption. This will allow mesh to expand into new areas to support new logistics requirements, including a number of new marshalling areas and yards.
4. Mesh tags are placed on vehicles and can talk to other tags in their vicinity which cuts down on the typical investment in RFID infrastructure. Tags have been coupled with terrestrial tracking devices to provide a hybrid or dual-mode system. They take advantage of cheaper terrestrial networks when they are available and then switch to satellite communications when they are out of range of the terrestrial networks.
5. Inductive systems that use magnetic fields in lieu of radio waves were adapted years ago for applications such as submarine communications systems and in recent years have been applied to tracking systems. Magnetic fields are not stopped by anything, including steel and liquids. In harsh environments, magnetic tags perform better when there are difficulties with RFID because they can be completely encapsulated. Magnetic tags operate at low frequencies and don’t use much power.

Conclusion
With an overriding constraint of massive budget reductions, logisticians are striving hard to provide soldiers with everything they require. Given the probability of future defence budget cuts, logisticians currently have a time-constrained window of opportunity to set the agenda as to what the next generation resources-constrained logistics system will look like and how it will operate and how it can best provide 21st-century support to joint and/or coalition-based, expeditionary force in light of the broad spectrum of potential conflicts they may face. A budget-constricted future could very well demand a new and a very different way of providing defence logistics.