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Military Logistics

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Logistics—the transfer of personnel and materiel from one location to another, as well as the maintenance of that materiel—is essential for a military to be able to support an ongoing deployment or respond effectively to emergent threats. RAND has long provided guidance and effective solutions to military supply and logistics decisionmakers, resulting in significant savings, improved readiness and combat support, and unit flexibility.

Commentary
The Problem of Intra-Theater Lift: Moving Things Around in the Pacific Area of Responsibility
The U.S. joint force's ability to move materiel and people across oceans and continents is unique among militaries. But there are challenges all along the supply chain, addressed by different agencies and military commands in a complicated set of processes, and a collective reluctance to assume responsibility for the mission.
Sep 6, 2022
Commentary
Ukraine and the New Two War Construct
The United States might look at its support of Ukraine as a potential model for future defense strategy. It would require a substantial expansion of the defense industrial base, but it might offer a plausible way to keep American objectives and resources in line without sacrificing too much in either.
Jan 5, 2023

Explore Military Logistics

Report
How Does Climate Change Affect Force Readiness?
Droughts, flooding, wildfires, and tropical storms are likely to become more severe as global temperatures rise. Understanding the links between climate and readiness can help the U.S. military ensure that forces are able to reliably and affordably sustain readiness in a changing climate.
May 24, 2023
Report
Advancing Combat Support to Sustain Agile Combat Employment Concepts: Integrating Global, Theater, and Unit Capabilities to Improve Support to a High-End Fight
This report presents a framework to assess necessary elements of the combat support enterprise — including base, theater, and global resources — for operating in a hybrid push-pull system as a means to mitigate uncertainty and adversary actions.
May 23, 2023
Brochure
Improving Combat Support Analyses to Better Inform Decisionmaking: Insights from RAND Research
This portfolio of combat support analyses conducted by RAND Project AIR FORCE highlights examples of enterprise-wide analyses, vulnerability and resilience analyses, and resource allocation analyses in support of U.S. Air Force decisionmaking.
May 22, 2023
Report
U.S. Major Combat Operations in the Indo-Pacific: Partner and Ally Views
This report, one of two, focuses on whether partners and allies have the willingness to support U.S. operations in a major Indo-Pacific conflict. The companion report focuses on technical and operational issues.
May 16, 2023
Blog
RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research
From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.
May 8, 2023
Report
The Backbone of U.S. Joint Operations: Army Roles in the Indo-Pacific
The authors of this report seek to provide an engaging and structured illustrated narrative to more clearly describe the U.S. Army's role throughout the Indo-Pacific region in the present day and into 2035.
May 5, 2023
Report
Network Logistics Games: Design and Implementation
This report details a logistics game design that is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of scenarios, objectives, and modifications.
Apr 19, 2023
Report
Opportunities and Risks of 5G Military Use in Europe
The authors consider U.S. military uses of the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular communications in a notional 2030 time frame, concentrating on a future smart logistics mission in the Baltics and surrounding countries.
Mar 23, 2023
Report
Common Authorized Stockage Lists for the U.S. Army's Brigade Combat Teams
Mathematical optimization of a common, periodically updated authorized stockage list for each of the U.S. Army's three types of ground brigade combat teams provides improved performance in support of equipment readiness and reduced transition costs.
Jan 19, 2023
Report
Improving Precommissioning Assignments and Readiness on the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter
Researchers identified approaches the U.S. Coast Guard could take to improve crew satisfaction with precommissioning assignments on offshore patrol cutters and overall fleet readiness, then evaluated the options using five criteria.
Dec 13, 2022
Report
Rapidly Detecting and Correcting Degradation of Military Supply Distribution Performance: Algorithms, Visualizations, and Case Studies
This report presents algorithms that monitor the U.S. Army logistics distribution system and automatically detect distribution issues that might affect equipment readiness. The report also offers recommendations for improved distribution monitoring.
Sep 20, 2022
Report
Assessing the Effectiveness of Future Concepts in the U.S. Air Force: Application to Future Logistics Concepts
RAND researchers present a Future Logistics Concept Assessment Framework, which is a disciplined, systematic way to assess proposed future logistics concepts to meet the requirements of the National Defense Strategy.
Mar 7, 2022
Report
Supporting Combat Power Projection Away from Fixed Infrastructure
The authors examine the logistics and sustainment aspects of an emerging operational concept for employing a family of unmanned aerial vehicles that can be launched, recovered, and sustained with minimal reliance on runways.
Jan 26, 2022
Report
Retention of Enlisted Maintenance, Logistics, and Munitions Personnel: Analysis and Results
In this report, the authors explore whether individual characteristics, economic and geographic factors, and the new Blended Retirement System can provide new insights into what predicts retention of maintenance, logistics, and munitions personnel.
Jan 5, 2022
Report
Implementing Variable Cost Pricing in the Transportation Working Capital Fund
In this companion report, researchers identify next steps toward implementing variable cost pricing for selected business lines funded by the Transportation Working Capital Fund.
Dec 16, 2021
Q&A
A Tradition of Service: Q&A with Two Veterans
Before they became RAND researchers, Jonathan Wong and Joslyn Fleming served as U.S. Marines. In this interview, they discuss what made them want to join the service, what led them to research, and how their military experience guides the work they do at RAND.
Nov 7, 2021
Research Brief
Achieving Global Mobility: Future Force Design 2040
This research brief highlights the likely changes that will arise in global mobility requirements for UK Armed Forces between now and 2040. It also outlines a range of options to deliver global mobility in dynamic threat and policy environments.
Oct 14, 2021
Report
Global Mobility: Future Force Design 2040
This study identifies the likely changes that will arise in global mobility requirements for UK Armed Forces between now and 2040. It also outlines a range of options to deliver global mobility in dynamic threat and policy environments.
Oct 14, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Military Logistics

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Scott R. Stephenson

Physical Scientist

Scott Stephenson is an environmental and political geographer with interests in climate security and policy. His research utilizes geospatial modeling and analysis to investigate linked human and natural systems. His recent projects have explored topics such as Air Force installation hazard…
Kenneth J. Girardini

Senior Operations Researcher

Kenneth Girardini is a senior operations researcher at the RAND Corporation. He was the director of the Military Logistics Program in the RAND Arroyo Center from 2011 to 2016 and has worked extensively in supply chain management, logistics, and data analytics. Girardini has led projects focusing…

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