(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication 3rd Class James Turner/Released)
Mike Cherney of The Wall Street Journal tells his readers that America is rethinking its logistics in the Pacific, with training involving giant fuel bladders in the Australian Outback. The U.S. military is tackling a supply line vulnerability. He writes:
In the remote Australian Outback, U.S. Marines carried supplies off two tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft that had just touched down. Soon after, they hauled giant fuel bladders into position and began connecting hoses and nozzles in the blazing sun.
Their aim in the training exercise: Quickly set up what is essentially a portable gas station close to the front lines so that aircraft can refuel and rearm without returning to larger bases in the rear. […]
But one of the most important, and at times overlooked, challenges the military is facing is how to get fuel, ammunition and other equipment to front-line units on remote islands or sea lanes far from main U.S. bases, and protecting those supply lines from Chinese attack.
“We’ve got a problem with contested logistics,” Gen. James Rainey, who oversees the U.S. Army command for modernization efforts, said at a recent think-tank event. “The Pacific Ocean is really big, it’s far away.”
The U.S. is rethinking its military logistics as new threats have emerged around the world. In the Ukraine war, for example, drones are detecting logistics points quickly and many are being destroyed in less than 24 hours, according to one analysis from U.S. Army officers. […]
“They know how we project power. They’ve been building their capabilities in a tailored way to undermine our ability to project power,” said Denmark, who is now affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Asia Group, a consulting firm.
Some lawmakers are sounding the alarm. A bill introduced by Sens. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.) and Mitt Romney (R., Utah) would require the Pentagon to put together a report on logistics capabilities in the Indo-Pacific and identify additional resources that are needed.
“You don’t have to destroy a battalion of tanks if you can prevent them from getting fuel and munitions,” said Colin Smith, a senior international and defense researcher at Rand. […]
“There’s so many connections in all of this gear,” Staff Sgt. Castillo said. “These guys are doing a fantastic job in troubleshooting what’s wrong and fixing it on the spot.”
Read more here.
