English Russia has a spread on Russian Army Logistics. I found the photo essay fascinating but it does bring up a lingering issue from the early days of the war on terror.
I'm sure many have forgotten but those were the heady days of Rumsfeld as SecDef. His mantra, besides "transformation"/"revolution of military affairs", was to emphasize the military operating like a business.
Listening to General officers at the time was painful. Pentagon speak was filled with business nonsense. Soldiers and Marines became "customers". Just in time logistics was the call of the day. War stocks were seen as something from a by gone era and the idea was to buy only what you needed, only when you needed it.
That way of thinking in many ways extends to today.
Which brings me to my long winded point (sorry about that)...what happens if the enemy is ever able to attack our supply lines? It seems that we have become extremely reliant on either air or sea delivery of basic supplies needed to keep our forces in the field. What happens if we finally get a foe that is technologically capable and smart enough to go for the soft spot and not attack our combat forces?
That's why we have prepositioned stocks of materiel.
ReplyDeleteNo. We have prepositioned stock so that when a war starts on the backside of the planet we have infrastructure to which men can be assigned to (vehicles, support equipment, etc…). Pre-positioned stocks do not, cannot, and will never equate to a secure supply line back to the states. They exist to support a sizable force for a limited period of time until the real forces arrive from the states.
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ReplyDeleteBut Sol, why would we need massive war stocks if we're not planning to fight a protected war against a First Tier opponent?
ReplyDeleteIf we do not plan to fight a major war with a well equipped, well trained, and creative opponent then this will be a side effect. Our SLOCs to WestPac will be vulnerable as will every nation's commerce in the Western pacific in a war against China. Our SLOCs to Europe are slightly better protected, but we are nowhere near prepared to defend against Russian incursions in the Atlantic as we were during the Cold War. When our SLOCs are cut there will be hell to pay for our forces committed to combat actions across the globe. See the plight of the Marines after Turner withdrew his cruisers and transports after Savo Island. Lose your SLOCs, then it will get very hairy for your forces at the receiving end of the supply line.
Just in Time logistics is stupid.
ReplyDeleteIt assumes you know what will happen and what will be required. By the time you 'need' something, it's too late. It's basically an excuse to not spend money, then blame the poor saps for not improvising. Rumsfeld was an immense ass and he needed to go far sooner.
Look at the wonderful wooden flooring in the field bakery. But could they support a push deep into Western Europe? I doubt it. Sadly I bet their logistics capability is better than more than few of NATO's major nations.
ReplyDeleteOne thing which people fail to consider is that Russian military always had a small logistic footprint .Smaller tanks and vehicles and men ,no Haliburton food with 10 or 12 courses ,no airconditioned tents etc , In ww2 russians used 2/3 the rations and only 15% of fuel compared to US units but more ammo tonage per man than any party in WW2
DeleteI would just like to point out that the lady is selling (presumably to the troops) bottles of Coke and Sprite.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless America.
Yep, it's not a problem, selling american products.
DeleteAnd Fanta... dear God's poor Russian soldiers will be forced to buy this decadent and rotten Western Devils food and drinks! Do the KGB... ekhem, sorry... FSB know about this blasphemer sabotage!?
DeleteFSB investigates now. That salesgirl is already under arrest and testifies she is a betrayer of the motherland that was bought by american fascists to poison soldiers.
Delete"Pentagon speak was filled with business nonsense. Soldiers and Marines became "customers""
ReplyDeleteI function as a, in you speak, force multiplier.
I describe the people who use the work I do, as my customers. My job, is to provide them with the information they need to do their jobs, or do them better. F*** anyone who isnt my customer.
My job, is not, to provide them with the information I want to provide them with, and my existence is contingent on people being willing to fund my role from their budgets. They can choose to ditch me and buy some other service.
Customers, get what they want, beggars get what they are given.
The problem with government implementation of it, is its just a name change, PBI get whatever slop the cooks serve up and are expected to be grateful.