Page 60 - NAVAL SCIENCE 3 TEXTBOOK

NAVA L OPERATIO NS AN D SU PPORT FUNCTIO NS 65

Sustainment. This element pertains to the provision of ade-
quate logistic support to permit continuous operations with-
out interruption, as long as required. Forward-deployed naval
forces carry with them sufficient initial stocks to support
operations, but these must be replenished as they are con-
sumed. Establishing and maintaining a reliable flow of war
materiel, resources, and support services to operating forces
is accomplished through the operation and management of
supply systems, naval maintenance assets, and bases. In the
Navy this element is a primary responsibility of the Naval
Supply Systems Command, and for the lVlarine Corps, the
J\/Iarine Corps Logistic Command.
Disposition. This element concerns the handling, storage, ret-
rograde (removal from the theater of operations), and dis-
posal of materiel and resources. A major aspect of disposition
is the avoidance of any damage to the environment, especially
by oil pollution or other hazardous materials. The Navy oil
spill response team is one of the largest in existence and has
deployed to every major U.S. oil spill in the last three decades,
along with personnel of the Coast Guard, the primary service
responsible for oil pollution response. The process of dispo-
sition begins with the first piece of equipment or major item
that must be removed from the operating theater for repair,
replacement, or as excess for further distribution, and ends
when the last forces depart, which are often the naval forces
assigned to most operations.
The foregoing principles, functional areas, and elements of
logistics are the building blocks upon which all effective logistics
A Seahawk helicopter conducts vertical replenishment operations
planning is done. All of these must be taken into account in order
from an oi ler. (Jessica Bidwell)
for any naval operation of any size to be successful.

is hoped, be sufficient to sustain military operations until further
Logistics in Modern Warfare
resupply could be accomplished, most likely by seaborne transport
Each of the major U.S. commands in the Atlantic and Pacific from the United States.
regions have formalized contingency plans for what their forces The methods and timing of resupply in any future general
would do and how they would be supported logistically in the war are of growing concern to U.S. planners today because fuel
event of a future general war. In recognition of the long surface- and ammunition and other key consumables would be rapidly
transportation time required to reach various locations in the inte- expended in the first days of modern warfare. In addition, the con-
rior of\iVestern Europe and the Western Pacific, large stocks of war tinued availability of cargo ships and tankers for wartime needs is
supplies and ammunition have been prepositioned at key locations questionable, given the steady decline of the U.S. merchant marine
such as certain U.S. bases in northern Europe and moored MSC in recent years. Almost certainly, one major consequence of the
cargo ships (called maritime prepositioned ships, or MPS) at bases shortage of available merchant ships in any large-scale future war
in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Other potential sites for would be a severe reduction of civil air transportation, since most
prepositioned stocks are under continuous review as world condi- large U.S. airliners would be needed to carry military supplies
tions change. Though there is some risk of capture of these sup- and personnel. Continuous analysis and planning are required
plies by potential enemies in the regions should war break out, the to ensure adequate logistics support of all U.S. and allied armed
necessity of timely resupply of U.S. and allied forces already in the- forces in any future war scenario.
ater overrides this concern. Such prepositioned stocks would, it