Naval logistics in contested environments : examination of stockpiles and industrial base issues / Joslyn Fleming [and 3 others].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fleming, Joslyn, author.

Contributor:

Rand Corporation. National Security Research Division.

Rand Corporation.

United States. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Navy--Operational readiness.

United States.

United States. Navy--Procurement.

Logistics, Naval.

Military Acquisition and Procurement.

Military Logistics.

Operational Readiness.

Pacific Ocean.

Supply Chain Management.

United States Navy.

Local Subjects:

Military Acquisition and Procurement.

Military Logistics.

Operational Readiness.

Pacific Ocean.

Supply Chain Management.

United States Navy.

Other Title:

Naval Logistics in Contested Environments

Place of Publication:

RAND Corporation 2024

Summary:

The U.S. Navy is evolving toward distributed maritime operations (DMO) in order to mass overwhelming combat power in response to the capabilities of near-peer adversaries in the Western Pacific theater (namely, China). To support the DMO concept, the Navy needs new approaches to logistics and the resupply and sustainment of distributed units. Giving particular attention to the acquisition end of the military supply chain, the authors analyze two commodities — munitions and naval aviation spare parts — and identify specific challenges and constraints the Navy faces: Current supply chains are focused on steady-state demands and near-term readiness concerns. Demand metrics are based on historical analyses of past conflicts that do not match expected demands in a Western Pacific scenario under DMO conditions. Differences in incentives among critical stakeholders also complicate the Navy's ability to source to expected demand levels. A shift in focus to just-in-time logistics and resource conservation makes it difficult to stockpile and invest to meet future readiness. Even if the Navy were to fix its demand forecasting capability, issues of diminishing manufacturing sources, shared production lines, and existing funding mechanisms limit the Navy's ability to surge to meet demand. In light of these challenges, the authors recommend possible mitigation strategies to address demand forecasting, budgetary concerns, and industrial base capacity. Their recommendations emphasize improved operations planning and execution (near-term objective), increasing inventory of repair parts (mid-term goal), and investing in future systems and force design (long-term strategy).

Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Current State of Munitions Supply Chains

3. Munitions Supply Chain Mitigation Strategies

4. Current State of the Supply Chain for Naval Aviation Repair Parts

5. Mitigation Strategies for the Naval Aviation Repair Parts Supply Chain

6. Summary and Conclusions.