Military Logistics Issues - Essay Example

Military Logistics al Affiliation Topic outline Military Logistics Thesis ment: Because streamlined military logisticsimproves the efficiency of a country’s army, countries should embrace new technologies to streamline their logistics. I. Military Logistics 1. Supplying military from within 2. Supplying military from the rear II. Literature review 1. Supply in the 16th and 17th century 2. Supply in the 17th and 18th century 3. Supply in the 19th and 20th century 4. Supply in the 21st century III. Findings 1. Principles of military logistics 2. Comparison of logistics to business ideas VI. Conclusion 1. Factors determining military strength and efficiency Abstract Military logistics is important in the efficiency of the country’s army towards performing its roles of defending the country from attacks. In the past, most nations have encountered challenges in deploying their soldiers or equipment rapidly in response to war or conflict. The essay analyzes military logistics together with some of the challenges encountered from 16th century to the present day and how nations tried to solve them. The aim of streamlining military logistics is to ensure that the country has a rapidly deployable army and also supplies. In the 21st century, streamlining military logistics require the use of sophisticated technology to reduce the overall costs of combats. Military Logistics Military Logistics refers to the supply, movement and maintenance of armed forces during war or peace. The definition of logistics has constantly changed from the time it was first used in 16th century. The general idea, however, of supply from within and from the rear remains. Supply from within means the military transport what they will require while supply from the rear means they receive supplies from rear sources. In the 16th century logistics, navies used to carry everything they needed in ships for their missions such as food, ammunition and water. Armies, on the other hand, used the same supply from within concepts, but they sometimes exploited what the locals had stored (United States Army 2014). Background Any nation’s ability to transport, sustain, relocate and equip its armed forces determines its military power. Successful execution of the military logistics gives a country a decisive position advantage on particular global issues. Military logistics follow all levels of war such as tactics or strategies. Military logistics also depend heavily on the country’s economy. Economy directly influences extend to which a country can invest its resources in military power. Some nations with strong economies can swiftly mobilize their military resources and endure in conflicts for long periods. The importance of military logistics in conflicts is evident when the conflict does not proceed the way it is expected (United States Army 2014). Literature review The concept of supplying military from rear bases emerged in the 17th century. It involved the use of horse-drawn wagons or watercraft to deliver supplies. The armies could construct storehouses and fortresses to keep their supplies safe. Towards the end of 17th century and the start of 18th century, soldiers devised different logistics. They could get their supplies from the immediate area by buying them instead of pillaging. The new strategy implied that governments would pay troops more money in order to sustain supplies. Despite the reduction on pillaging and plundering by soldiers, the new logistical approach gave rise to new challenges. Some of the challenges included delayed or insufficient funds and shortage of food in the immediate area (Hughes n.d). A more successful strategy was the stage system whereby soldiers could stop at intervals in different markets along their routes. The troops could organize themselves in smaller groups that could easily get sufficient supplies in markets. The staging system freed soldiers from carrying large quantities of supplies and also extorting money from the locals. Although the stage system was a better strategy, it had some challenges. It was good for soldiers who advance fast, but it became ineffective for soldiers who stopped in an area for some time. Soldiers who stopped in certain areas exhausted their supplies and resorted to extortion (United States Army 2014). In the middle of 19th century, the challenge was solved by using railways and rivers for transportation. When soldiers ran out of supplies, they did not have to move because new supplies could arrive from railroads or steamboats. Despite the successful transformation, armies still needed to transport supplies using horse-drawn wagons if the battlefields were far from railheads or ports. Rail transport, thus, limited the advancement of military to battlefields that were not far from railway lines (Hughes n.d). The use of railroads also came with other challenges such as dependence on fuel. The major fuel was coal. Armies established coal stations in different strategic areas to refuel their ships and trains. The heavy reliance of horse-drawn wagons was substituted with military trucks, but they also had challenges of spare parts. The production of such military trucks was also slow compared with the demand in the battlefields. A more advanced approach was the production of automatic weapons. The approach was aimed at reducing the quantity of supplies that troops could carry, but it presented newer challenges instead. Automatic weapons used large quantities of ammunition within very short periods. The future military logistics may reconsider the supply options from within in addition to supplies from the rear bases. The main challenge in supply from within is the bulk that the soldiers will have to carry in the battlefields. The challenge can, however, be overcome by using satellite-guided airfoils for resupply. Such airfoils include Advanced Precision delivery, Semi-Rigid Deployable Wing, and the Guided Parafoil Air Delivery. Such systems are cheap and can deliver supplies in battlefields with more precision. The 21st century military logistics will focus mainly on a maximum utilization of available resources rather than relying on additional supplies. For example, new approaches will focus on improving ammunition precision, water production, medical care, engineering, sources of energy, and composite materials. In recent years, some countries have developed concentrated energy bars and pellets that soldiers can carry easily. In addition, there are nutrient-filled skin patches that soldiers can use as alternative sources of nutrients. The future shortages of water will be solved by recycling the byproducts of combustion engines. The future battlefield vehicles will be fitted with water storage and purification systems (Hughes n.d). The development of precision munitions will enable soldiers to fire accurately and get out of the area immediately. It will significantly reduce waste of ammunition resulting from misfiring. In addition, it will increase the survival rate of soldiers in the battlefields. The production of precision weapons will accompany the development of sophisticated software that can identify enemies, pinpoint targets, select appropriate ammunition and choose the best delivery system. Such software will reduce unnecessary delays in the delivery of additional supplies in battlefields. The supply of ammunition from rear bases will reduce with the development of alternative ammunition such as high-energy lasers, electro-thermal guns, and liquid propellants (Piggee 2002). New technological advancements in engineering will see the development of prognostics and sensors that can enable soldiers to detect potential mechanical failures of their vehicles before they occur. The soldiers will then be able to replace faulty vehicle parts before they break down. The future military logistics will also see the development of interchangeable repair parts for various types of military equipment. Interchangeable parts will reduce the number of such parts that can be stocked or transported in battlefields (Piggee 2002). Improvements in medical care of combat forces will focus on the creation of health monitors equipment. Such health monitors will be able to check the physiological status of soldiers, analyze and interpret data, and relay the information to remote caregivers. Such sophisticated medical equipment will reduce the amount of medical supplies required in battlefields. They will also alert caregivers on individual soldiers who may need urgent medical attention. The design and production of future military uniforms will focus on some problems that the current uniforms do not overcome. The future uniforms will be made from composite materials that are able to provide sufficient protection from small arms. The uniforms will also be able to protect soldiers from hazardous chemicals and biological weapons and also some harmful energy radiations. The material contents of the uniforms will be genetically engineered composites that are able to realign their molecular structures instantaneously in order to stop highly-penetrating threats. The materials of the uniform will also be able to change their coloring to resemble the immediate environment. In addition to the highly-protective uniform, soldiers will also use similar shelters. The shelters will be made of very thin lightweight films capable of camouflaging. The shelters will protect soldiers from light weapons, nuclear radiation, biological and chemical weapons (Hughes n.d). The use of foam can prevent some of the challenges posed by unexploded devices in battlegrounds. Unexploded devices or roadside bombs usually pose danger to the movement of military and equipment in battlefields or supply routes. Such challenges will be overcome by spreading foam over large areas that troops pass. The explosives will not detonate even if massive military trucks pass over them. The foam technology will also help in the construction of temporary roads or bridges in rugged terrains. In addition, the foam will also be used for building aircraft runways that can allow easy landing, loading, offloading, or taking-off of military aircraft (Hughes n.d). The adoption of alternative sources of energy will significantly reduce dependency on fossil fuels. The alternative sources of energy will include sophisticated solar panels and flywheels. They will complement energy requirements that could have otherwise come from the burning of fuels. The alternative energy sources will also include portable power sources that will utilize the available hydrogen and oxygen gases in battlefields (Kang 2006). Findings There are seven principles of military logistics. They are responsiveness, simplicity, attainability, flexibility, sustainability, economy, and survivability. Responsiveness is the swiftness in the movement of military personnel and equipment. Sustainability and economy refer to the long-term effectiveness on the use of resources in comparison with the rate of production of the resources. Simplicity and flexibility refer to the organizational structure and the ease of redeployment. Military logistics is like an Integrated Supply Chain Management (ISCM). In any business, ISCM deals with the procurement, production and delivery of products and services to customers. ISCM is a broad scope involving numerous chains suppliers and consumers in distribution channels. An efficient supply chain management is achieved using integrated software. The software helps in integrating supply and demand, transport and distribution, and advanced planning and scheduling. The result is an increase in profit, reduction in inventory, better customer service, competitive advantage gains, and significant savings (Piggee 2002). In the military perspective, ISCM is like the military logistics. Both ISCM and military logistics deal with procurement, production and the delivery of products and services to ‘consumers.’ The two logistics also involve a number of suppliers and consumers in the supply chains. Efficient military logistics management can, therefore, be done like the ISCM using software. The software will help military planners in determining the supply and demand of munitions and other supplies. It will also help in choosing the most appropriate transport and delivery systems. In addition to this, the software will deliver better military service and reduce unnecessary delays. It will also reduce the spending and at the same time give the military competitive advantage (Piggee 2002). Military logistics is like a wholesaler and retailer in the distribution chains of commodities. Efficient linking of the two distributors serves the customer best. In case a lack of stock visibility occurs between the two, it will cause the keeping of redundant inventories. In such a situation, customers will wait for long periods to allow the purchase of items from manufacturers. If there is poor communication between a wholesaler and retailer, the latter will keep stock just in case a shortage arises. Both the retailer and wholesaler make decisions independently of each other (Piggee 2002). In military logistics, the military planners are like wholesalers while commanders and other soldiers in the battlefields are retailers and consumers. If there is an efficient linking of planners and commanders, the soldiers fighting will be served best. In military logistics, stock visibility is the ammunition usage monitoring. There should be a clear coordination between the planners and users in the battlefields to avoid unnecessary delays in supply. If there is poor communication between commanders in the field and production planners, the fighters will keep some supplies for sustenance. In doing so, they will delay any further advancement in the battlefields giving the enemy an added advantage. Summary Military logistics involve the concept of supply from within and rear bases. The earliest system of obtaining military supply was from within. The rear bases supply became common in the 17th century. Staging system of getting military supplies was used to reduce looting and extortion. The railway transport revolutionized military supplies but increased dependence on fossil fuels. Modern logistics focus on rapid deployment of troops and supplies in battlefields. It relies heavily on technological advancement in various fields. Modern military logistics also focus on the reduction of military personnel and the efficiency of available soldiers. It also focuses on the sustainability of available supplies. The army should transform the same way businesses transform to fit into changing operational environment. The transformation will help in continued dominance on the enemy. Effective transformation will involve embracement of new technology. The adoption of new technology will improve the efficiency of soldiers, reduce operational costs, and increase safety measures. The army must become predictive, anticipatory and responsive while carrying out its missions. The army must be in a position of anticipating problems before they occur and also find possible solutions. The army must respond quickly to various situations that require their services. The army must use technology to monitor consumption of supplies at the national and battleground levels. Conclusion The ability of a country to transport, equip, redeploy and sustain its armed forces determines its military strength. The efficient execution of these logistics gives a country an added advantage on some issues in the modern world. The execution of military logistics also relies heavily on the economy of the country. Performance of the economy directly determines extend to which a nation can devote its resources in strengthening its military. In the modern world, military logistics rely heavily on technology. The major aim is to reduce operational costs by having a few but very efficient combat troops in battlefields. Reliance on technology also increases the safety of soldiers in conflicts. References Hughes, A.J. (n.d) Military logistics continues to repeat itself. ALMC. Retrieved May 29, 2014 from http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/JanFeb01/MS585.htm Kang, M., (2006 March). A study on the military logistics system in ubiquitous environment. International Journal of Multimedia and Ubiquitous Engineering Vol. 1(1). Retrieved May 29, 2014 from http://www.sersc.org/journals/IJMUE/vol1_no1_2006/7.pdf Piggee, F.A., (2002). Transformation – revolution in military logistics. United States Army. Retrieved May 30, 2014 from http://www.iwar.org.uk/rma/resources/logistics/ Piggee_A_F_02.pdf U.S Army. (2014, February 12). Military Logistics. Retrieved May 29, 2014 from http://www.benning.army.mil/mssp/Logistics/ Read More