Keep pace with speed of conflict

Defense operations can catch up with two decades of rapid advances in technology that have enabled commercial supply chains globally. These Industry 4.0 technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning used in predictive analytics, supply chain intelligence and more autonomous functionality, can quickly bridge gaps and increase speed in contested defense scenarios. The result will be a greater cargo visibility, smarter warehousing and better transportation utilisation.

New disruptive and asymmetric capabilities in the cyber and the space domains have global reach. At the same time, hypersonic weapons put logistics at risk from a great distance. Recent enemy cyber threats to a US low-orbit satellite and to US energy pipeline infrastructure show that attacks can be extremely focused and result in acute domestic risk.

There are four actions that military leaders can take to overcome today’s challenges and create a more predictive and secure supply chain that functions in all phases and conditions in a contested logistics scenario.

Design a more modern and agile IT infrastructure to operate logistics when communications are compromised. Systems can have multiple nodes and support deep, predictive analytics that function afloat, ashore or at enterprise scale without connectivity. Many companies and federal agencies have created such networks, which can be phased and adaptive when an IT system is degraded.

Gaining better E2E visibility can start with a supply chain risk management assessment that can expose risks at critical supply points, including energy infrastructure, as well as deep relationships at resupply locations, at ports, and with allied and commercial partners.

A vulnerability assessment can expose and remediate weaknesses among DoD partners, especially commercial and foreign partners, and build agility across all supply classes.

Another E2E tool is the creation of a supply chain digital twin, a model to generate predictive analysis and visualizations on potential supply chain disruptions across the world. Built on real-time data, simulation, machine learning and reasoning, a digital twin can improve the decision-making process.

By knowing what is needed when and where, AI can advance predictive logistics and execute preplanned push logistics.

Commercial industrial supply chain resiliency was lacking at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in lessons in US Navy supply chain readiness.

During supply surges in conflict, when cyber-security breaches could disrupt the supply chain, the Navy of the future needs the ability to mobilize supply production at any location, especially in the context of great power competition.

The use of Industry 4.0 technology enablers at scale can deliver data-driven insights to commanders and wrench turners alike. In addition to forecasting with AI and Machine Learning, this can include predictive maintenance and other applications.

Using Machine Learning, Internet of Things data, natural language processing and advanced analytics to help drive and operate the system in a more autonomous mode.

One must be ready to maintain, command and control a resilient, multi-node supply chain in a contested environment, which will allow you to view the Common Operational Picture (COP) and see where everything is and how it moves.

This may require enterprise-to-edge, operationalized data from the cloud to a laptop. This can lead to a competitive advantage in conflict by providing commanders with a comprehensive logistics picture that can predict problems and prescribe supply chain solutions across the enterprise.

Planning may need to go into construction of decision support tools and commercial connectivity between the DoD, commercial partners and allies. This should address adversaries’ sophisticated cyber and other strike capabilities, including kinetic bombardment and focused energy attacks. In other words, operations data and information are part of the broader logistics picture and are used to create solution sets during disruptions across the network.

As the military transforms for the next conflict with a hybrid force of manned and unmanned systems, now is the time to transform supply chains and logistics capabilities to keep pace with the speed of conflict and sustain maritime advantage.

The current challenges in military logistics support have changed. The biggest challenge for all logistics processes is to provide services according to the 7R formula (right time, right product, right quantity, right condition, right place, right customer, and right price). A logistics leader is important for every operational mission. Thanks to the leader making quick and smart decisions, successful termination of a mission is possible.