Military Logistics International (May/June)

AIRDELIVERY

Volume 6 Issue 3May/June 2011

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Guided weaponsupport

Libyancampaign

logistics

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1Volume 6 Issue 3 | May/June 2011 | MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

CONTENTS

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3 EDITORIAL COMMENT

What does it take to get change?

4 NEWS

• Senior USAF leadership acknowledges

ECSS challenges

• Cassidian parachute system awarded

operational certification

• Australia set to receive MRTT aircraft

• JP5 fuel stocks delay Swedish air operations

6 SUSTAINING THE LIBYAN AIR WAR

Logistics support has massively influenced

the international air campaign over Libya,

Tim Ripley reports.

10 WIDER, DEEPER, LONGER

Support for guided weapons is continuing to

develop as the range of operational options grows,

Francis Tusa finds.

13 AN OLD SKILL, REDISCOVERED

In remote regions that are away from main supply

routes, air deliveries are essential in allowing forces

on the ground to be fully mobile. Francis Tusa

reports on the importance of this resupply method.

17 MOVING THE STORES

As operations continue to be expeditionary in

nature, there is an ongoing need for cargo-handling

equipment as part of the logistics chain, Claire

Apthorp explains.

20 FUSION IN THE SKIES

As air forces are increasingly searching for

flexibility in their fleets, a number are considering

combining tanker and transport capabilities,

Peter Donaldson reports.

23 SMARTER INFRASTRUCTURE

They might be humble structures, but FOBs are a

major logistics driver on operations in Afghanistan.

Several militaries are now seeing what they can

do to lower the FOB logistic burden, discovers

Francis Tusa.

25 GROWING AFLOAT

Asia is starting to increase the reach of its navies

by enhancing its afloat support shipping. Adam

Baddeley examines the recent developments.

DEPTH FORWARD

28 LIFELONG PROVISION

Henry Canaday talks to Maersk’s Bob Bowers

about the company’s shipping operations and

maintenance work for the US DoD.

Front cover: A USAF C-130J practices airdropping. Such techniques have enjoyedan operational resurgence in Afghanistan.(Photo: USAF)

Editor-in-ChiefFrancis Tusa. [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 7284 0331

North America EditorScott R Gourley. [email protected] Tel: (707) 822 7204

Editorial AssistantBeth Stevenson. [email protected]

ContributorsClaire Apthorp, Angus Batey, Henry Canaday, Peter Donaldson,Nicholas Fiorenza, Tim Ripley, Richard Scott

Production ManagerDavid Hurst. [email protected]

Sub-editorAdam Wakeling

Advertising Sales ExecutiveMark Ludlow. [email protected]: +44 (0)1753 727009

Publishing DirectorDarren Lake

CEOAlexander Giles

ChairmanNick Prest

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EDITORIAL COMMENT

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE

T here are enough similar phrases todescribe the same process:

‘Insanity is defined as repeating the samebehaviour and expecting a different result.’

‘History repeats itself, first as tragedy, secondas farce.’

The first is widely, but possibly falsely,attributed to Albert Einstein; the second, withmore certainty, to Karl Marx. But they do seemvery apt when one considers the endlessproblem of fuel on the battlefield, and how thisburden can be reduced.

The steady and entirely predictable rise in thecostofoil –up50%inayear,witha recenthead-line figure of $120 per barrel – has seen manydefence budgets suffering. The UK Secretaryof State for Defence, Liam Fox, gave the oil price as one reason why the UK defencebudget was in such a state, while operationalfuel costs have also impacted on Frenchdefence spending over the past few years.

Then comes along the Libyan operation,which, by its very nature – a no-fly zone with arequirement for endurance and time-on-stationby aircraft and ships – is going to be fuel-intensive. As oil prices rise, and without anydirect increase in operational activities, the costof the mission will go up for the participants.

The problem is that people have got lazyabout fuel, and remain lazy. It would be easy tobecome very European and shake one’s headat petrol-guzzling US SUVs, and see that asthe key fuel logistics problem. However, cananyone seriously point to a European AFVprogramme where a key, the key designcriterion has been fuel efficiency? Easy thoughit might be to try and point fingers, the blamelies across the world’s militaries as a whole.None of them have remotely taken fuelefficiency and economy seriously.

Compare this with the commercial sector,where costs are always to the fore. Considerthe fact that the Boeing 787 and the AirbusA350 both started their design lives when oilwas cheap, but airlines still wanted the mostfuel-efficient aircraft possible. Also, how manycommercial truck operators do not want tosqueeze as much out of their fleet as possible,driving each and every percentage in better,cheaper performance?

There will be those who will say that militaryequipment has other roles and missions, which commercial systems do not have tocover, and these might well require higher fuelexpenditures. Perhaps so, but it is increasinglydifficult to find real differences between, say,commercial trucks and AFVs – after all, moreand more of the automotive subsystems stemfrom the same R&D. When you look at supportaircraft, why should they be operatedsubstantially differently from their commercialcousins? And looking at no-fly zone operations,how different are these from commercial airlineflying, regarding engine cycles?

PREDICTABLE SHOCK

Fuel shocks come, and people start to takenotice of the cost of oil. However, as soon asthe cost drops back down again, all of thosestudies simply get trashed – what is the pointof introducing potentially costly innovations forequipment, when oil is back down at $40 perbarrel (as it was recently in early 2009)?

What seems evident is that oil prices, whilethey might yo-yo somewhat, are not on a downward trajectory – using a historicalanalysis, there will be a gentle but relentlessmove upwards.

So why will militaries around the world notmake the jump that would see a far wider use of

innovative fuels and power sources, as well asfar more fuel-efficient propulsion methods? Yes,aircraft are being tested with biofuels andsynthetic fuels, but it still seems to be a sop, aconscience-assuaging practice. Furthermore,alternative fuels do not consider the logisticalissue–youwant to shift less fuel overall, not moreof different types to reduce the logistics tail.

It would be great to think that the current high oil prices, which are noticed when peoplefill up their cars, would also really force militariesto look at as many systems as they have today,or are planning for tomorrow, and work out how they could make them as fuel efficient as possible.Francis Tusa, Editor-in-Chief

‘Liam Fox gave the oilprice as one reason whythe UK defence budgetwas in such a state.’

� Contractors� Asset tracking systems� Aerial delivery� Batteries

WHAT DOES IT TAKETO GET CHANGE?

MLI_MayJun11_p03_Editorial:Layout 1 5/5/11 14:12 Page 3

4

NEWS

MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL | May/June 2011 | Volume 6 Issue 3 www.mil-log.com

(Photo: Cassidian)

In his keynote address at the 27th NDIALogistics Conference & Exhibition in March, Gen Norton Schwartz, USAF Chief of Staff,acknowledged an uncertain future for theExpeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS).

As part of the service’s Expeditionary Logisticsfor the 21st Century (eLog21) transformationcampaign, ECSS is an enterprise resourceplanning effort that promises to transform the air force logistics IT environment by replacinglegacy systems with a single-solution set ofbusiness processes, software applications and data.

The pilot version of the new system ‘went live’ in July 2010 at Hanscom AFB, near Boston, Massachusetts.

‘ECSS was designed to replace more than240 Cold War era systems that are still in usetoday, none of which exchange data with eachother very well, if at all,’ Schwartz explained.Offering a small sample of the legacy programs,he described them as ‘a veritable alphabet soup of disparate and largely incompatiblesystems, making it hardly a surprise that we

SENIOR USAF LEADERSHIPACKNOWLEDGES ECSS CHALLENGES

suffer from unnecessary duplication of effort andcostly inefficiency.

‘ECSS’s potential to improve air force logistics operations represents a potentialquantum leap in supply-chain management,’ hestated. ‘Along with total asset visibility (TAV),ECSS stands to standardise logistics processesand provide an enterprise-wide view of thesupply chain, making efforts more efficient andour data more precise.

‘Now I’ll be frank – fielding of ECSS hasn’tbeen easy,’ he added. ‘It’s been difficult andoccasionally frustrating work, largely because itrepresents a comprehensive transformation inour information technologies to revolutionise our air force supply chain architecture. But thebasic [existing] structure is generations old, andis well past the stage where we can hope toyield effective solutions to evolving challengesmerely by adding new applications to ourdisparate systems.’

‘I would argue, as I have to the GAO andothers, that we need to replace the basicfoundation, even if only one attainable bite at a

time. With TAV and ECSS we would be able toleverage off-the-shelf information technologiesthat are readily available to us. And once thisbecomes a more robust capability, the nextstep – visibility and accountability in the terminalphase of the distribution pipeline (what I call “thefinal five miles”) – is an equally challengingproblem that we must address.’

Acknowledging historical problems on bothgovernment and industry sides, he added: ‘Thebottom line is that we have got to pull thistogether – it’s possible. We know it happens inthe private sector. I remain committed to tryingto husband this through, but I’ll tell you some-thing, given the fiscal pressures we are facingand the lack of performance thus far, you canunderstand why people on the hill [Congress]and in the building [Pentagon] are sceptical.’

He noted that current plans call for attackingthe problem ‘in bites’, through the fielding of four‘pilot’ efforts. ‘And if we cannot pull it togetherthrough those four pilots then ECSS is dead inmy view,’ he concluded.By Scott R Gourley, Miami

In mid-March, Cassidian gained operational certification for its ParaLander ram-air cargo parachute system. Bundeswehr Technical Centre 61 tested and classifiedParaLander as an unmanned aerial vehicle, clearing the way for operational use.

The German Armed Forces have already bought five of the systems, and havestated a desire to use these in Afghanistan to support deployed forces.

ParaLander has been designed to operate, initially, with the C-160 Transall,and can take a payload up to 1,000kg in its current form, although Cassidian islooking to stretch this to around five tonnes in the future. It is also anticipated thatit will operate from the A400M.

The system, which includes a ram-air parachute, a control unit and a missionplanning system, can be dropped from 32,000ft, and can cover up to 50km fromthe point of dropping, achieving metric precision via GPS guidance.By Francis Tusa, London

CASSIDIAN PARACHUTE SYSTEM AWARDEDOPERATIONAL CERTIFICATION

‘I’ll be frank –fielding of ECSShasn’t been easy.’

MLI_MayJun11_p04-05_News:Layout 1 5/5/11 14:13 Page 4


NEWS

www.mil-log.com

(Photo: Försvarsmakten)

NEWS ON THE WEB

A new C-130 shadow in the sky25 April 2011

Raytheon wins radar maintenance,operations services contract25 April 2011

General Dynamics selected for US Army OPTARSS II contract25 April 2011

Northrop Grumman wins logisticsupport services contract20 April 2011

US DoD awards LifePort $45.5m contract19 April 2011

Boeing, Australia announce order forfifth C-17 Globemaster III19 April 2011

US Logistics wins new contractingchannel via FEMA18 April 2011

Cubic wins seat on US Army OPTARSS II ID/IQ contract14 April 2011

General Dynamics selected for $565minfrastructure services programme14 April 2011

All these stories can be found at www.mil-log.com

Australia is on the verge of taking delivery of itsfirst two A330 Multirole Tanker Transport(MRTT) aircraft, in the first of a host of deliveriesfor the platform that are scheduled for 2011.

Speaking to reporters at LAAD in Rio deJaneiro on 13 April, Damien Allard, MRTTmarket development manager at Airbus Military,said that the first two aircraft for Australia wereready to be delivered, while the next two of thefive aircraft ordered were expected to follow bythe end of the year.

In addition, the first aircraft assigned for SaudiArabia had its first flight in March, and was alsoexpected to be delivered this year, as was thefirst example for the UAE.

A total of 28 A330 MRTT aircraft have beenordered across four air forces, with the UK’sorder of 14 currently the largest on AirbusMilitary’s books.

Allard used the press conference to emph-asise the versatility of the aircraft, noting that asthe A330-200 wing was large enough to holdall the fuel needed to ensure the MRTT was ahigh-performing tanker, there was no reductionin its ability to carry passengers or cargo.

He argued that this therefore allowed theaircraft to fulfil missions that would otherwiseby carried out by three different types.

‘This makes the aircraft a true game-changer.In the context of the budget cuts across theworld, this rings a bell for decision-makers. TheMRTT is clearly an aircraft for the future – it isa benchmark in tanker transport because it is atruly versatile platform,’ Allard said.

Out of the four orders received so far, theMRTT fleets of Australia, Saudi Arabia and theUAE will be fitted with Airbus Military AerialRefuelling Boom Systems, which allow therefuelling of receptacle-equipped aircraft, suchas the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

For probe-equipped aircraft, such as theEurofighter or Tornado, the A330 MRTT is fittedwith two Cobham 905E under-wing hose anddrogue pods. Allard said that those systemswould be controlled by an operator console inthe cockpit, which features an enhanced videomonitoring system.

Allard also highlighted the capabilities of the A400M transport aircraft, but would not be drawn on what specific regionalopportunities the company was targeting with the platform. He said that while a global market of 400 aircraft has been forecast,it was too early to detail any Latin Americansales campaigns.By Tony Skinner, Rio de Janeiro

AUSTRALIA SET TORECEIVE MRTT AIRCRAFT

Swedish Air Force flight operations have beenheld up following the deployment of eight JAS39 Gripens for the first operational tour of dutyin support of the no-fly zone above Libya. Thereason for this delay was because the fuel atthe airbase was different from that normallyused by the aircraft.

The aircraft were supported by a C-130 withinflight refuelling equipment, and were basedat Sigonella in eastern Sicily.

However, due to Sigonella being a USN airstation, it stocks JP5 fuel, while the Gripen

normally uses Jet A1, a commercial fuel. JP5 isa variant of kerosene specifically designed foruse onboard aircraft carriers, where the fire riskhas to be kept to a minimum, which is not asmuch of a concern for commercial aviation.

Until additives to covert JP5 to Jet A1 couldbe taken to Sigonella, as well as the equipmentto do the work, the Swedish Air Force was leftto source commercial jet fuel elsewhere. Thefuel issue added two to three days onto thetime required to get the Gripens in the air.By Francis Tusa, London

JP5 FUEL STOCKS DELAY SWEDISH AIR OPERATIONS

MLI_MayJun11_p04-05_News:Layout 1 5/5/11 14:13 Page 5

SUSTAINING THE

6

OPERATIONAL REPORT


D uring the Cold War, the UK and Italywere often referred to as NATO’s

‘unsinkable aircraft carriers’ because of the hugeinvestment made by the alliance in airfieldinfrastructure in the two countries. Ultimately, thegreat NATO and Warsaw Pact stand-off neverturned ‘hot’, and it was not until the Balkan crisisof the 1990s that alliance air forces started to make use of the extensive airbase network in Italy.

NATO’s reinforcement airbase infrastructurein the country, and elsewhere across theMediterranean, was activated again in March2011 as the Libyan crisis escalated. Theavailability of well-developed and equippedairbases within range of Libya was a significantfactor in allowing alliance air power to respondwithin hours of the UN approving internationalintervention to protect civilians in the country.

Since then, NATO and allied air forces havebeen moving to sustain their contingentsinvolved in Operation Unified Protector to allowthe mission to remain active for several months.

STRIKE ONE

After the UN Security Council decided toauthorise ‘all necessary means’ across Europeand North America, air forces started to raisenotice to move several units, and began activepreparations to forward deploy forces to withinstriking distance of Libya. The pressing need tointervene, in order to blunt a Libyan governmentarmoured drive on Benghazi on 19 March,

meant that the US, UK and French governmentsagreed that offensive air operations would haveto begin even before the deployment of forcesgot under way.

‘We had to get bombs on target in a matterof hours, so launching from home bases wasthe only option, using extensive air-to-air refuellingsupport,’ a UK air planner told Military LogisticsInternational. ‘We brought Tornado GR4s up toeight hours’ readiness, and once the Parisconference took the political decisions, we gavethe go-ahead to launch, which occurred later inthe evening.’

In the US, similar preparations were beingmade early on 19 March to launch threeNorthrop Grumman B-2A Spirit stealth bombersfrom Whiteman AFB in Missouri to fly across theAtlantic and strike Ghadames airbase, south ofTripoli. In France, the air force was ahead of itsBritish and American allies, and launched apackage of 14 Dassault Rafale and Mirage2000 fighters, backed by Boeing KC-135FRtankers, to hit a Libyan government tank columnsouth of Benghazi late on the same day.

By operating from their home bases, the French, British and Americans were able to benefit from the in-place missionplanning, communications, ordnance preparation and logistics infrastructure. Although thisrequired extensive air-to-air refuelling support to strike at Libya, speed of response wasconsidered far more important at this point inthe campaign.

FORWARD FOOTING

Even before the first wave of French, UK andUS strikes were under way, allied nations weremobilising air force units for deployment to theMediterranean region. Italy agreed to open eightof its airbases to allied forces, and by late on theevening of 19 March, Canadian, Danish,Spanish and US combat aircraft were landingat bases in-country. Over the following few days,Norwegian, Dutch, UK and more US aircraftwere heading south to join the allied operationin Italy. French aircraft were deployed toSolenzara on Corsica in order to bring themcloser to Libyan targets.

Some were more fortunate than these USAFpersonnel – rather than setting up tentedcamps, many air forces hired villas andhotels for accommodation. (Photo: USAF)

Logistics support has massivelyinfluenced the international air campaignover Libya, Tim Ripley reports.

MLI_MayJun11_p06-08_Libya:Layout 1 5/5/11 14:14 Page 6

7Volume 6 Issue 3 | May/June 2011 | MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONALwww.mil-log.com

LIBYAN AIR WAR

7www.mil-log.com

Operation Unified Protector has shownthe value for countries large and smallin having outsized airlifters to helpoperational deployments, as this QatariC-17 illustrates. (Photo: USAF)

OPERATIONAL REPORT

The Canadians had the furthest to come ofany participating allied nation. Their six BoeingCF-188 Hornets were airborne across theAtlantic on 18 March, and were led by twoAirbus CC-150 Polaris tankers on their firstoperational air-to-air refuelling deployment. Aftera brief stopover at Prestwick airport in Scotland,the Canadian contingent was at its forwardoperating location at Trapani, Sicily by theevening of 19 March.

Units deployed from European bases wereaccompanied by at least one Lockheed MartinC-130 Hercules carrying support equipment,personal luggage and ground personnel.

Combat aircraft that were carrying their missilesand bombs generally flew to Italy, so that theycould be turned around quickly for their firstoperational sorties. At this stage, all the air forcesconcerned had either been deployed to Italianbases during the Bosnia and Kosovo crisis, orhad visited the country during routine exercises,so they were very familiar with the airfields thatthey were heading towards.

The availability of Italian NATO bases meantthat fuel supplies were readily available via thealliance’s network of pipelines, and the Italian AirForce was able to provide fuel bowsers.

COMFY QUARTERS

The vast majority of incoming allied air forcepersonnel were also housed off-base in hotelsand leased villa complexes, which reduced theneed to deploy support equipment such astents, field kitchens and portable toilets. The oneexception to this was the US, which deployedits air units to established US airbases at Avianoand Sigonella in Italy, Souda Bay in Crete andMorόn in Spain.

Incoming personnel were either housed in existing on-base accommodation, or whenthis was not sufficient, temporary measures were taken. At Aviano, the local economy didnot have enough hotel rooms to house the1,000+ USAF and USN personnel arriving at the base, and therefore a huge tent city was built and sports halls were turned intosleeping accommodation.

As the operation began to settle into apredictable battle rhythm, the deployed air forcedetachment started to develop a routine. Visitingcrews were generally housed in NATO-standardhardened aircraft shelter complexes, so that they were able to conduct routine flightlinemaintenance and pre-flight checks in relativelycomfortable environments.

Regular C-130 shuttles were established inorder to bring in national-specific spares andmunitions on an almost daily basis. This proveda key requirement because, unlike fuel, NATOdoes not have its own munitions stocks thatalliance nations can draw upon. The operationaltempo meant that ammunition consumptionforced several nations to up their airliftrequirements, with the UK and Canada usingtheir own Boeing C-17 Globemasters, and other European NATO nations requestingsupport of NATO Heavy Airlift Wing C-17s. TheNetherlands also resorted to hiring an AntonovAn-124 in order to move supplies for its F-16detachment in Italy.

NON-NATO SUPPORT

Operation Unified Protector and its predecessor,the US-led Odyssey Dawn, have also seen thedeployment of aircraft from a number of non-NATO nations. Jordan, Qatar, Sweden and theUAE all deployed fast jets to the Libyan mission,and, with the exception of Sweden, it was thefirst time that they had sent combat aircraft onan overseas operation. �


8

OPERATIONAL REPORT


Getting their aircraft to within striking distancewas a challenge in itself for the Arab air forces,which had no experience of expeditionary air operations. The UAE Air Force and AirDefence made use of Etihad Airways AirbusA330 aircraft to move personnel and equipmentfrom Al Dhafra airbase, just outside Abu Dhabi, to Decimomannu in Italy, in order to standup its F-16E/F and Mirage 2000-9DADdetachment. While the Qatar Emiri Flight’s C-17s accompanied the country’s Mirage 2000-5EDAs on their transit to Crete, these twodeployments highlighted the contribution that an oil-rich Gulf state’s ‘sovereign aviationassets’ can make to its military capability in atime of crisis.

The Qatar Air Force’s lack of experience inhigh-intensity air operations was also underlinedby the deployment of a French Mirage 2000detachment to Souda Bay to partner the Gulfair arm for its missions over Libya. The twoservices’ ground engineers work closelytogether, and French Mirage 2000-5 aircraft alsofly alongside Qatari jets on operational missions,according to French Air Force sources.

For the Royal Jordanian Air Force, its F-16Adeployment to Aviano allowed it to tap into the expertise of the USAF’s 31st Wing F-16 squadrons.

INFLIGHT REPLENISHMENT

A major feature of allied air operations over Libyahas been the reliance on air-to-air refuelling tosupport almost every type of aircraft involved inthe campaign.

The distances between allied airbases on thenorthern Mediterranean coast and Libya meansthat air-to-air refuelling is essential if fast jets orISR assets are to have any meaningful time onstation over or near the country.

This is not an unusual situation for most NATOair forces, and they have trained and equippedtheir main combat units to operate at suchdistances. An unusual feature of the Libyancampaign, however, has been the heavy reliance on national air-to-air refuelling assets.The rushed launch of the campaign meant that

there was little time to get a full-up combined airoperations centre (CAOC) to control the airassets. In the first two weeks, the campaign wasrun by US Africa Command, which had to‘borrow’ the CAOC of US European Commandat Ramstein in Germany because it did not haveits own.

Rapidly deployed liaison detachments fromparticipating air forces arrived at Ramstein overthe first week of the campaign, but the CAOCstaff were ‘maxed out’ just organising dailyoperations before they could do much forwardplanning, according to allied air force officersinvolved in the Libyan campaign planning. As aresult, there was little time to build a multi-nationaltanker plan into the daily air tasking order. Thenon 31 March, the whole Libya CAOC operationwas transferred to NATO’s CAOC 5 at PoggiaRenatico in Italy, resulting in further stress on theair campaign planners.

Until well into April, national tanker operationswere the norm, with some exceptions forNorway and Denmark, who were able to cometo arrangements to take fuel from USAF tankers.

By the first week of April, the USAF’s 313thAir Expeditionary Wing was providing more than80% of fuel passed in the air to allied jets. It thenhad more than 30 KC-135R and McDonnellDouglas KC-10A Extender tankers at bases inthe UK, Germany, Spain and Greece to supportthe Libyan operation.

In an operational first, Italian Air Force KC-130J tankers were in action within the first week of the campaign, supporting combat

operations against Libya, as the service’s Boeing 767 tankers had yet to be declaredcombat-ready.

FUTURE CAMPAIGN OPTIONS

ACM Stephen Dalton, Chief of the UK Air Staff,declared on 3 April that the RAF was planningon the basis of a six-month-long campaign.Several other air forces announced that theircommitment was limited to three or six months.

It seems that the uncertain outcome of theLibyan conflict has led participating air forces tobegin envisaging that their commitment willtransition to become enduring in nature. This hassignificant implications in logistic terms. Afterseveral weeks, replacement aircraft will have toline up, so that the original machines deployedto Italy can be rotated home in order to undergomore intense maintenance than can be carriedout at forward bases.

Weapon resupply issues are likely to emergefor several NATO nations involved in air-to-ground operations. Ground or ship resupplymust be an option to ease the burden on airtransport fleets, particularly as most NATO airforces simultaneously have to support theongoing campaign in Afghanistan.

The Libyan campaign has refocused theattention of defence planners across NATO oncombat air power after previously givingprominence to Afghanistan. In the comingweeks and months, the implications of theLibyan crisis for logistic support of air operationswill become clearer. MLI

The loadmaster of a CanadianC-17 confers with Italianground crew at Trapani, Sicily.(Photo: Canadian DND)


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WIDER, DEEPER,A s the drive to reduce costs continues in

defence ministries, no area is being leftuntouched as planners seek to maximise thereturn on every penny or cent spent. This is astrue for guided weapons (GW) as anything else.

Many of these were designed and producedduring the Cold War, and the intention was thatfew, if any, would ever leave an ammunitionbunker, aside from those expended in training.However, with the current pace of operationsfor many countries, this is no longer the generalorder of affairs. Defence ministries have toconsider how they procure, and then support,GW in an environment where operational useis the norm, not the exception.

A BUSY YEAR

‘Looking specifically at the UK, the main driveover the previous 12 months has been to createa unified support environment (USE) for all UKsupport activities,’ an MBDA spokesperson toldMilitary Logistics International. ‘There are in

essence four primary themes to this approach.[The first is] organisational arrangement – that ishow to best organise ourselves (jointly with theMoD) to deliver an effective, efficient output-based service. Secondly, we are looking at waysof organising the transverse aggregation ofsupport activities across all the GW products –that is looking at how similar activities can bejoined together to achieve economies of scale.

‘Another theme has been entitled the unifiedsupport solution. With this, we are looking to drive through commonality, convergence and efficiency in the way GW support isdelivered. Finally, we have been looking atefficiency savings.’

This USE activity is part of the wider andmuch-discussed Team Complex Weapons(TCW) initiative, which is a long-term partneringagreement between the MoD and MBDA,covering a range of weapons and sovereigncapabilities. During the course of 2011, thisproposition will be developed jointly with the

‘The stockpile anduse rate equationis not one that anyarmed force isexempt from.’

ministry, with an expectation to ‘go live’ sometime during the second quarter of 2012.

Pascal Gendre, group director of customerservice and support at MBDA, said: ‘Looking atFrance, we have worked a lot to move from asimple supplier-to-customer relationship to onethat reflects a long-term partnership approach.This partnership is not yet formalised, and not atthe same level in France as it is in the UK.

‘To get closer to our customers in France, andagain in a move to show we are more than justa front-end supplier of equipment to an end user, we have began to get more closelyinvolved with some of the French forcesacademies and centres of expertise, such as theFrench Naval Academy. This is an approach weare currently pursuing with the intention ofextending this to all three of the country’sservices. Through developing shared knowledgeand understanding, we will obviously be able to get much closer to the customer and his day-to-day needs.’

SUPPORT UP FRONT

Operational stresses and strains are, and willcontinue to be, a major driver for GW support.The conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq are nowwell known to be quite extreme regarding therange of temperatures (the average for theformer is 30°C, 25°C for the latter, with Iraq also having some very humid conditions as well),and both are also known for the harshness ofthe dust.

The distances from home bases have resultedin efforts to place GW support capabilities intotheatre. US Army Materiel Command hasestablished forward repair activity sites in Iraqand Afghanistan, and these carry out theinspection and support of both ‘dumb’ andguided ammunition natures. Since 2010, theUS Third Army has started to set up GWsupport facilities in South West Asia. One such

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Sagem/MBDA AASM air-to-ground weapons are prepared forloading onto Rafale aircraft for missions over Libya. (Photo: CEMA)

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MUNITIONS SUPPORT

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LONGER

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Support for guided weapons is continuingto develop as the range of operationaloptions grows, Francis Tusa reports.

in the Gulf region was established to repair andcheck out Hellfire missiles.

The reason for establishing the sites was thatHellfires were being declared ‘defective’ bytroops in the field, and then were sent back toAnniston Army Depot, Alabama, only for a largenumber of ‘no fault founds’ to arise. If there wereany problems, they tended to be as a result of

faulty storage or handling, both of which couldbe readily corrected. The new forward test andrepair facility means that many damaged Hellfirescan now be examined and repaired in as littleas 30 minutes.

The harsh environmental conditions also meanthat after 1,000 hours of captive carrying, theseeker domes of the laser-guided Hellfire can

become sand-blasted and opaque, requiring areplacement part. These, too, can be forwardrepaired, saving time and cost in shippingmissiles back to the US. An expansion of thesecapabilities is likely, both in the short term, andas part of longer-term GW support concepts.

The UK is also starting to see what can bedone to support a panoply of GW systems �

The operational environmentis a major factor affectingGW reliability, so extrasupport efforts are required.(Photo: MLI)


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closer to the front line. Task ForceHelmand told MLI that there arenow over 230 different munitionstypes deployed in-theatre, withwell over 20 major, sophisticatedweapons systems. Many of thesehave been bought under theUOR system and, as a result,there has been little thought abouthow many of them should besupported. Furthermore, therange of storage needs for ‘dumb’and smart munitions and natures,such as flares, means that thereare difficulties in accommodatingall of these in one munitionsmanagement plan.

The fact that munitions in Afghanistan are frequently deployed to FOBs and kept insub-optimal conditions has added to theproblem. Although many that are deployedforward tend to be ‘dumb’, the Javelin missile isa ‘weapon of choice’, and is used down to thelowest tactical level.

Rather than risk expensive weapons fallinginto disrepair, plans are afoot to try to undertakepreventative work, as well as remedial supportin-theatre. This would mirror the moves toestablish an Equipment Sustainability SystemRegeneration Capability for armoured fightingvehicles and other equipment types at CampBastion, which started full-time work this year.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

‘Optimisation of stockpile management is oneof the recent “big wins”, we think,’ Gendre told MLI. ‘There is a definite need from thecustomer’s point of view. We have put a lot ofstudy and analysis into this, both theoretical andempirical, and it is clear that a scientific stockpilemanagement approach will not only enhanceproduct safety and reliability, but it is also an areawhere customers can make major savings aswell. Here, we are talking about savings in termsof avoiding unnecessary servicing as well assavings in terms of significantly increasedproduct life.’

There is always going to be an uneasybalance between finance ministries, which willsee GW stockpiles’ optimal position as beingas small as possible, and the military, which willhave as close to a diametrically opposite positionas possible. How many munitions should adefence ministry buy to meet its requirementsover ever-increasing timelines?

The reason for asking this question returns toa never-ending issue – the nurturing of supplychains that can be fragile, and which requirecareful management. As commented uponabove, the life cycle of guided weapons is notgetting shorter, and so decisions for smallerproduction runs today can mean munitionsshortages tomorrow if corners are cut.

So how do NATO countries match up when it comes to guided weapons and longlives? Take the MBDA Storm Shadow/Scalp EG cruise missile as one example. The UKbought just under 800, France just over 500 (of which some will be converted into the Scalp Naval cruise missile), Italy 200 andGreece some 90.

However, to put this into some perspective,the RAF has launched at least three missionsfrom the UK to fire these missiles at Libyantargets, with the first raid in mid-March, and atleast 30 are believed to have been fired, if notmore. French Scalp EG rates are slightly

lower, if the reports from the French MoD are tobe believed.

These numbers might not look that large, buttaking into account training and trials, as well asother operations, the UK might well have firedover 100 of the missiles. This may only represent15% of the total off-take, but it shows how astock can be eaten up gradually. If the Libyanmission sees attacks against regime targets, asopposed to tactical ones, Storm Shadow userates could well rise further, and the overallarsenal shrink yet more. What planners have toask is how long cruise missile stocks might lastif operations such as Libya become the norm,rather than the exception.

To put it another way, Italy’s 200 StormShadows would have shrunk by over half on UKuse rates, and Greece would have run out ofweapons – this when the missile has at leastanother 20 years’ life in those arsenals. Asanother point of consideration, the UK has fired15-20 submarine-launched Tomahawk LandAttack Missiles so far in operations against Libya – France has only ordered 50 submarine-fired Scalp Naval variants.

THE RIGHT STUFF?

Reports from mid-to-late April 2011, denied byseveral NATO defence ministries, suggestedthat a limiting factor for the pace of operationswas a shortage of guided weapons. Certainly,when countries such as Norway and Denmark–both active in air-to-ground operations – haveonly ordered low hundreds of Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and have been using them intraining since the early 2000s, it should comeas no surprise if these stocks might have beenrunning short.

All of this points to the need to engage with industry in ensuring that supply chains are not allowed to cool and die over time. The problem is that with shrinking defencebudgets, how many finance ministries, them-selves facing harsh fiscal conditions, are willingto pay for things today that will only come intoplay as an insurance policy some time in the future? MLI

The US is nowservicing missiles far closer to the pointof use. Here, a facilityto support Hellfire isinaugurated in mid-2010 at a location inthe Gulf region.(Photo: US DoD)

‘What can be doneto keep supplychains operatingpotentially over adecade and more?’


Parachuted supplies driftdown towards a US FOB inAfghanistan. (Photo: US DoD)


AIR DELIVERY

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AN OLD SKILL,REDISCOVERED

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T he pace and intensity of operations in Iraq and then Afghanistan has caused

forces deployed in those theatres to re-examine,and then reintroduce, a resupply skill that has ebbed in and out of fashion – air delivery.This is the provision of supplies by fixed-wingaircraft, sometimes by landing on strips andpushing stores out of the back, but more often by dropping cargo on parachutes fromhigher altitudes.

‘Air drop is the perfect tactic to support theground commanders in counter-insurgency[COIN] operations,’ Maj Tyler Kern of the USAF Air Mobility Division (AMD) told MilitaryLogistics International. ‘Air delivery allows ground commanders the freedom of movementto operate in remote areas away from mainsupply routes where ground convoys cannot

move freely or sustain themselves. Reducing the number of convoys also reduces the threatto ground forces from IED attacks, in turnincreasing freedom of movement. “Any time and anywhere” logistics feeds the fight duringCOIN operations.’

FALLING FAST

For most Western nations involved in recentoperations, Iraq provided an initial ‘kick’ to re-examine air delivery, but Afghanistan has pushedsuch flights to the fore.

‘This mission started after the need wasexpressed by units in Afghanistan. The requestwas then relayed to the French Air Force [FAF]and required us to go beyond the initialoperating framework planned for actions in2001 and 2002 [to support the forces engaged

In remoteregions thatare away frommain supplyroutes, airdeliveries are essential in allowing forces on theground to befully mobile.Francis Tusareports on theimportance of this resupplymethod.

in Afghanistan],’ Lt Col Franck Flammier, theFrench airlift group commander at Dushanbe,Tajikistan, told MLI. ‘The main idea regardingdropping is that you only need to dropsomebody or something when you have noother alternative, and no capability to land theaircraft in the vicinity of the relevant area, in orderto minimise the risks to personnel.

‘The idea was to support elements insertedin OMLTs [operational monitoring and liaisonteams], and to be able to support forces asclosely as possible at any time, by day or night,in visual or instrument meteorological conditions,should the standard logistic chain fail. At thattime, the only solution was night drops usingNVGs. This type of delivery was immediatelytried, but it did not fully meet the requirements.In order to increase delivery precision, the �

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FAF developed, on its own, a new capacity –HALO drops [high altitude, low opening]. Thefirst drops occurred during August 2008.’

The French forces have now used thetechnique for support and replenishment formore than two years as a complement to theground logistic chain. This type of delivery isused to provide support to the isolated units ofTask Force Lafayette in FOBs and combatoutposts in Kapisa and Surobi provinces, whilereducing the risk to convoys from IEDs and toaircraft from surface-to-air weapons.

‘The UK has been active in Afghan airdropssince 2006,’ Sqn Ldr Gareth Burdett, officercommanding B Flight, 24 Squadron at RAFLyneham added. 24 Squadron is the operationalconversion unit for the UK’s Hercules force, andevery pilot is trained in the required roles,including air delivery.

‘The approaches to air delivery vary betweenbrigades [deployed to Afghanistan], but therehas been a consistent upward swing in thedemand for aerial delivery since that time,’ hesaid. ‘Iraq really initiated the capability, and we

used it to resupply mobile patrols in the desertsof east and south Iraq. But in Afghanistan, onHerrick IV [May-November 2006], 16 AirAssault Brigade identified the need for airdelivery, and the new kit [the C-130J] andcomputer that it had could provide this capabilityvery well. Generally, the recent genesis of UKair drops follows the development of the C-130J.A lot of clearances were prioritised to get thecapability operational.’

But he added that despite the new-foundinterest in air drops for supplies, ‘the drawdownof the UK operational area in Helmand hasmade them slightly less attractive – but it still isa vital component. Recently, we’ve been doinga lot of air drops in support of the USMC in areas which Task Force Helmand wasresponsible for previously’.

USING THE RIGHT TOOLS

Burdett told MLI that the RAF’s C-130J is at theheart of the UK’s air delivery operations.

‘Currently, the quantity of UK air drop inAfghanistan does not call for a C-17 capability –

the C-130 fleet easily meets the demand, andthe J has the capacity and capability for the role,’he said. ‘The C-130J has earned its spurs in theair delivery role – it’s the “white van” of the airtransport fleet. If you do your job well, then noone notices the Hercules fleet, but they donotice if you’re not there!’

The RAF uses a range of delivery means, asBurdett explained. ‘We have a system called“small stores”. This is anything really. The utilityis that you can drop stores at very short noticeonto a very small drop zone (DZ). It’s ideal forengineering spares, ammo and small volumesof stores. We would classify small stores dropsas ranging from 30-300kg. There is no need for [an aircraft] role change at all. You could have70 passengers and some small stores bundles,drop those and then take the passengers to adifferent destination.

‘Then there is the container delivery system[CDS],’ he said. ‘They’re called containers, butthey aren’t – they are bundles of different stores,packaged together. We can carry 16 in one lift.It’s on a pallet with a cardboard crumple systemand a parachute on each.

‘It’s very flexible – you can drop one container,or up to 16t in 20 containers, or as little as

The French Air Force hasadopted a high-altitudedelivery tactic to providesupplies with accuracy towidely dispersed forces.(Photo: SIRPA Air)

Air delivery/airdrop of supplieshas gone frombeing a tacticalsideline to a majoraspect of combatoperations inAfghanistan.(Photo: US DoD)

‘Air drop is theperfect tactic tosupport the groundcommanders inCOIN operations.’



AIR DELIVERY

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400kg. It does require a dedicated role changedown the back of the aircraft, so it is less flexiblefor short-notice tasking.’

‘For military operations over Afghanistan, allthe HALO drops for French forces are done byC-160 Transall tactical cargo aircraft belongingto the airlift group, based at Dushanbe airport,’Flammier added. ‘HALO can also be carried outfrom the FAF C-130s, although it has not beendone so far over Afghanistan.’

About 30 HALO deliveries have beencompleted by the cargo aircraft of the Dushanbeairlift group for an approximate total of 80 pallets,representing a total load of 70t. A C-160 candrop four pallets, each weighing more than onetonne, in two runs.

MINDFUL RE-USE

‘The main difference between the USAF andother air forces in Afghanistan, is that the USuses several types of aircraft. C-130s executeabout 60% of the Combined Air and SpaceOperations Center’s AMD-directed air dropmissions, with the C-17s executing theremainder,’ Kern explained. ‘However, the numberof bundles and weight dropped is closer to40/60 respectively. For current operations, the

loads for the C-17 and C-130 air drops are thesame. We do use the C-17 for our high-volumeusers and the C-130 for our small demandusers. High-volume customers request a largeamount of supplies in each order.’

Another advance is the development of low-cost air drop (LCAD) equipment. This is a moreaccurate and flexible air delivery method forresupply of small, mobile forces. Traditional silkparachutes and rigging are both expensive andlabour-intensive. LCAD is a one-time use, pre-packaged air drop system that uses expired T-10 personnel parachutes, and is allowing thehigh volume of drops to continue with alreadyestablished tactics and procedures.

‘We also use a low-cost low-altitude (LCLA)form of air drops, specifically, the C-130 LCLAcombat air drop, which is accomplished bydropping bundles weighing 80-650lb, in pre-packed expendable parachutes. The “low-cost”term reflects the relative expense of theexpendable parachutes compared to their more durable, but pricier, nylon counterparts.“Low-altitude” alludes to the relative height

that bundles are released from the aircraft –between 300 and 500ft above ground level.This is a significant step forward in our ability tosustain those engaged in combat, and it is alsomore accurate than traditional, higher-altitude airdrop methods and cuts down on “stray bundles”that can land away from the DZ,’Kern said.

ON THE MONEY

The issue of air delivery accuracy has been tothe fore for air forces on operations today.

‘When we started, perhaps we were not asaccurate as the ground forces would have liked,’Burdett admitted. But keeping operational details carefully vague, he added: ‘We aim tominimise the load spread, and put the load asclose as is safe to the FOB/patrol, so that itbecomes easy for them to clear the DZ. Werecognise that ground forces have to operate inareas with mines and IEDs, so DZ clearance isan issue.’

For the RAF, the means to do this have beensimple, according to Burdett. ‘Wind is thevariable we have to deal with – the longer

PUTTING IT INTO PERSPECTIVEThe mid-January 2011 USAF headline was stark and loud: ‘Afghanistan airdrop levels set recordin 2010’. The story described how in 2010, some 27,400,000kg of cargo was air delivered insupport of operations. This was up from 14.6 million in 2009, 7.5 million in 2008 and 3.7 millionin 2007. Clearly, a steady progression in air drop with a doubling every year.

And these figures do not include air delivery operations by other players in Afghanistan. TheRAF told MLI that from January 2010 to January 2011, some 281,000kg of cargo was deliveredby air via RAF C-130 aircraft. The French and Italian air forces have also been involved.

But it makes some sense to put a historical overlay on these.To take the USAF figures, 27,000,000kg across a year amounts to an average of 74.7t a

day. So what? Well, these are the air delivery figures for a range of operations from the late 20th century:

• Stalingrad (November 1942-February 1943). The stated requirement was 680t per day,but only around 450t were delivered, with a peak of just over 630t per day.

• Berlin Airlift (June 1948-May 1949). The bare minimum requirement to feed Berlin was1,400t per day, with an extra 1,600t of coal, 3,000t per day in total. After a shaky start, thiswas achieved, and by the end, 11,800t per day were delivered.

• Dien Bien Phu (March-May 1954). Around 135t per day were required to supply thegarrison. Generally, only 90-100t per day were delivered, and much of this was captured bythe Viet Minh.

• Khe Sanh (January-April 1968). Average daily lift/drop of 210t, and a maximum of over 270t.

The point to make is not to denigrate the efforts in Afghanistan, but to put them into somehistorical and logistical perspective. There will be those – rightly – who will point to the fact thatthe air delivery operations for Stalingrad and Dien Bien Phu were hardly successes. But considerthe fact that even these ‘failed’ operations were managing, just, to deliver hundreds of tonnesper day, and do this day-on-day.

Perhaps the point to take away is that while a Ju 52 was lucky to carry 2.25t, and a DC-3/CH-47 could carry 3.2t, with modern aircraft taking 14.5-18t (C-130J), and 55-72t (C-17), mightthere be room for even more use of air delivery on operations?

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that a load is exposed to this, the less accuratethe delivery will be,’ he said. ‘So we bought anelement of the US precision air delivery system.A sonde is thrown out that traces its path in thesky as it falls, and it broadcasts that back to theaircraft so that we can see what has happenedas it drops. We can then apply that data to ourdrop. It isn’t fully “precision”, as the load isn’tguided, but it is still very accurate.’

‘Meteorological conditions are no longer a limitation, since the aircraft does not descendto drop at medium or low altitude,’ Flammier said. ‘The only serious limitation could bethunderstorms in the vicinity of the DZ and theresulting non-predictable winds that woulddistort the dropping calculations made by crew.

‘Personnel in charge of the delivery addstabilising and extracting chutes, a barometricrelease system and to finish with, the mainchutes. It is important to keep in mind that noelectronic device is fitted, that it is just a well-mastered free fall, and that all the droppingequipment can be re-used for future deliveries.’

Kern agreed about what affected air deliveryin Afghanistan, but differed on how to deal withit. ‘Wind – it still plagues air drop operations,’ he

concurred. ‘But conventional balloon data and GPS sondes do not meet the tacticalrequirements of current operations. The USAFWeather Agency has made dramatic advancesin forecasting with their four-dimensional windmodeling that informs crews on the air mass,but a real-time, tactical solution is still missing.’

IN SHORT SUPPLY

All interviewees commented on two aspects ofair delivery that are often forgotten.

‘With air drop missions increasing, riggingsupplies and commodities to fill the loads are inshort supply, but the customer is always askingfor more,’ Kern said.

‘The air delivery “reverse supply chain” is nolonger an issue of education,’ Burdett explained.‘Army units understand the need to get the air drop kit back to us. But it’s all very well getting our parachutes returned to us, but if it means that someone loses a limb doing it, thenwe’ve failed.’

And then there are those indispensiblehelpers. ‘47 Air Despatch Squadron [RoyalLogistic Corps] are intrinsically linked toorganising the air drop role,’ Burdett outlined.

‘They source the stores, build the load and comeon the mission with us as well. 47 AD see itthrough from end to end. We couldn’t do airdrop without them.’

‘The record-breaking efforts start with heroiceffortsby thesustainmentbrigadesandparachuteriggers and end with the aircrews and DZcontrol teams,’ Kern added.

HERE TO STAY

‘Looking to the future, air delivery may developby way of adapting the load dropped to theforces on the ground, in real time,’ Flammierconcluded. ‘Those missions could havesomething in common with close air supportmissions, with DZs listed during the preparationphases or timely DZs given to the crewmembers by a JTAC [joint tactical air controller].’

‘The bottom line – air drop provides thecapability to deliver critical supplies into the mostremote regions of the world with little to noinfrastructure,’ Kern said. ‘Air drop allowscombined forces land component commandersthe freedom to manoeuvre and arrange forcesas needed.’

‘Air drop is an intrinsic part of UK operationsin Afghanistan,’ Burdett concluded. ‘Whether thenext major operation is COIN or not, it is verylikely that it will be expeditionary, requiring thereach of air drop and air transport to sustaindeployed forces. People have rediscovered theutility of air delivery.’ MLI

British soldiers recover rations air dropped at night by an RAF Hercules near Musa Qaleh.(Photo: UK MoD)

The C-17’s massive payload means thatwhen mass is needed, many tens oftonnes can be delivered. (Photo: US DoD)

‘Air drop is an intrinsicpart of UK operationsin Afghanistan. Peoplehave rediscovered theutility of air delivery.’



CARGO HANDLING

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Deploying the right cargo-handling andstorage equipment on airfields and

main operating bases (MOBs) is a fundamentalaspect of efficient military operations. As with all defence equipment acquisition, thesuccessful deployment of it comes down to a delicate dance between capability andaffordability. Ensuring that basic logisticsequipment has high readiness, sustainabilityand the lowest possible through-life supportand maintenance costs, enables the mostefficient equipment to be fielded, vitally freeingup strained defence budgets for the acquisitionand support of more ‘glamorous’ equipment.

‘A consideration of the logistical implicationsof each potential equipment acquisition is vital,’Hamish Knox, managing director of ALC, toldMilitary Logistics International. ‘Because of the substantial costs involved in support, if youcan’t do this part cheaply, you ultimately limit the amount of frontline equipment you are ableto field.’

As a result, the past decade has seen agreater push within the UK MoD to deploycargo-handling equipment that can be easilysustained through the existing military logistics

system, in order to keep maintenance costs aslow as possible, and drive forward logisticscapability at the same time. In 1998, the ministryinitiated the C Vehicle Private Finance Initiative(PFI) in order to reduce the amount of equip-ment needed, and to reduce spares holdingswhile increasing availability. The programme alsoaims to field new and more capable assetswithout taking on the full risk of ownership thatcomes with procurement programmes.

TURNKEY JV

Provided by ALC, a joint venture between Amey and Babcock International Group, the C Vehicle PFI is a 15-year, £600 million ($1 billion) contract that provides and maintainsa worldwide fleet of deployable engineerconstruction plant and rough-terrain mechanicalhandling equipment for the MoD. It alsoprovides a full range of support services toensure that every element of the contract �

MOVINGTHE STORES

As operations continue to be expeditionary in nature, there is an ongoing need forcargo-handling equipment as part of the logistics chain, Claire Apthorp explains.

The Terex AC 35tcrane has beenacquired under theC Vehicle Fleet PFI.(Photo: ALC)

The JCB 541 telescopic handler. (Photo: JCB)

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works as efficiently and effectively as possible,including spares, a technical documentationservice and provision of training for operatorsand maintainers.

Since its inception, the programme hasreduced the original equipment fleet of 3,800to a permanent fleet of approximately 2,000without any loss of capability, and equipmentavailability has been simultaneously increasedto over 90%. Efficiency has also been gainedby the reduction of rough-terrain forklift modelsfrom four to one, lowering training and supportcosts through greater commonality of parts andinstructional courses.

‘One of the key concerns, as far as thecargo-handling side of things goes, is gettingaround the high equipment utilisation acrossthe services,’ Knox explained. ‘High supportabilitymeans that we need to take a pan-defenceapproach and introduce commonality of equip-ment between the three UK services. We arerationalising in order to minimise the differenttypes of equipment with similar capability. Byreducing down to similar lines, the actual log-istics support cost becomes relatively low.’

FEELING THE PINCH

Like most suppliers to the armed forces, ALC is feeling the pressure to implement cost-reduction initiatives as required by the Strategic Defence and Security Review

(SDSR). ‘What’s emerging through SDSR isthat there is going to be spare capacity withinland command, and our object is to increasethe RAF’s utilisation of this spare capacity,’ Knox said. ‘Doing so means that the RAF getsnew equipment without any additional cost tothe MoD.’

Another major way that the C Vehicle PFIprogramme is achieving cost reduction is by exploiting the value of fielding equipment that is as near to COTS as possible. Under the initiative, as it pertains to cargo handling, itis supplying rough-terrain telescopic handlers(the JCB 524 and 541) and Terex AC 35t

and 55t cranes, as well as providing integratedlogistic support for theMoD-owned rough-terraincontainer handlers. Beingprimarily commercial equip-ment, these vehicles havesignificant value for theMoD, and the full risk ofownership is essentiallybeing taken up by ALC,which is responsible for thewhole-life costs, and fromwhom the MoD effectivelybuys the capability.

‘By implementing thesecross-service vehicles, we are removing thebarriers that come with having multiple vehiclesavailable with similar capabilities,’ Knox explained.

DEFT HANDLING

Before the initiation of the C Vehicle PFI andthe selection of its 524-50 and 541-70telescopic handlers by ALC, JCB was workingon the development of the High Mobility RoughTerrain Forklift (HMRTF) for the British Army toreplace ageing cargo-handling equipment.

‘The main requirement was to be able tounload a standard 20ft container of pallets in40 minutes,’ Ian Talbot, sales and marketingmanager at JCB, told MLI. ‘In the HMRTF weachieved this in 20 minutes, and importantly,we also designed it to fit inside a container for

transport, making strategic lift and movementmuch easier.’

Following the MoD’s pulling of the plug onthe programme and the switch to the C VehiclePFI, JCB has continued to develop the HMRTF,with a lot of interest from other countries. In the end though, with the vehicle being sospecialised, unlike more general machines with wider application, the forklift is only inproduction on demand.

‘However, we put a lot of lessons learnedfrom the HMRTF vehicle into the developmentof the High Mobility Engineer Excavator(HMEE) for the US Army, and focused greatlyon high-mobility machines,’ Talbot said. Althoughthe HMEE does have a forklift, its primary roleis engineering work, but this focus on highspeed has relevance to the cargo-handlingmarket, as the ability to keep up with mainforces is an operational advantage for logisticsvehicles and the militaries who field them.However, lift and reach remain a central focusof development for JCB – the JCB 524-50Loadall telescopic handler, procured throughALC for the British Army, has a 9.5m reach, anda lift capacity at full reach of 1,250kg.

‘The main limiting factors include the physicalproperties of reaching something at length, andalso the height of the machine,’ Talbot explained.‘If you think of trying to unload a Chinook or C-130, you have the ramp, and the top of theramp is the really crucial angle, so we’vedesigned and patented a roller systemunderneath the fork frame so that you can reachinto the aircraft, or container, and lift the fullweight at full reach.’

A major benefit of acquiring equipment fromcompanies such as JCB is the commercialcross-over of their military vehicles, a majorbenefit in terms of both cost and the supply ofspares and support to deployed vehicles. ‘Weoffer full support to our vehicles,’ Talbot said.‘We have a worldwide dealer network that ourcustomers can plug into in the areas in whichthey are operating. Or else, in the example ofthe British Army vehicles, we provide parts toMultipart Defence who is the ALC contractor.’

‘High supportabilitymeans that we need to take a pan-defenceapproach and introducecommonality.’

The HMRTF is able to unload a standard 24ft containerof pallets in 20 minutes. (Photo: JCB)


The Air Pallet Rack system provides the ability to stack pallets up to three high, increasingwarehouse capacity or adding entirely new storage capabilities. (Photo: Ban-Air)


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SPRINGING TO THE RESCUE

Force multiplication was a major considerationbehind the development of the EnhancedProtection Systems (EPS) Springer, which is currently being used as a logistical utility mule by British forces, where it delivers vitalequipment to frontline troops. It is designedespecially for the rugged, desert conditions ofAfghanistan, and was developed in responseto a UOR issued by the MoD. As a light forcescarriage platform, the Springer is used totransport combat supplies from helicopterlanding sites to FOBs, as well as providingbattlefield commanders with additional transportcapabilities on the front line.

‘The initial UOR requirement was for a onetonne pallet vehicle, and for a vehicle with aninitial dry weight of 800kg – that was quite atall order,’ Terry Carpenter, director of EPS, toldMLI. ‘Actually what we have produced in theSpringer is a vehicle that can carry a 1.2tpayload cross-country – and when we saycross-country, we mean severe cross-country.’

Within EPS’s product line, the Springer issoon to be superseded by the Springer 2,which is based on the same platform as theoriginal, but with enhanced performance. ‘We’vesignificantly increased the power output fromthe engine. It’s got a better gearbox, coolingsystem, starter motors and alternators, there’smore torque and the payload stays the same,but you can carry it a lot faster,’ he said.‘Importantly, the wheels are all 16-inch, whereason the original Springer, the rear wheels were12-inch and the front were 8-inch, so with thenew version you don’t have to worry aboutwheel adaptors if you have a spare go down.’

BACK AT MAIN BASE

Ultimately, the key to a successful MOB andairfield is efficiency. The nature of MOBs, inparticular, means that there is often a greatrequirement for flexibility on the side of industry

to provide the right equipment to meet theunique needs of each base, and cargo storageis a significant part of this. Requirements of thistype are rarely uniform, yet solutions still needto be implemented as quickly as possible inorder help armed forces get the most out of thestorage space available.

‘We noticed some years ago that there isand always has been a considerable amount ofcongestion at floor level in MOB storagefacilities, and this greatly compromises theefficiency of operations,’ Gerald Rhodes,business development manager at Ban-Air, toldMLI. ‘Basically, we noticed that the operatorswere quite inefficient at trying to identify a pieceof cargo to load onto aircraft because thestorage area wasn’t well planned, and palletswere spread around the floor. There might bea particular pallet in the corner of a building, andmany pallets had to be moved in order to getat it and put it on the aircraft.’

The company’s Air Pallet Rack grew out ofthis awareness, in particular for the efficientstorage of aluminium 463L and Air Lines ofCommunication aircraft pallets. The systemprovides the ability to stack pallets up to threehigh, increasing warehouse capacity or addingentirely new storagecapabilities. The system isconstructed from heavybolted steel with the abilityto replace damaged partsand reconfigure as needschange, with durable,exterior-grade galvan-ised finishes to provideprotection from harshweather conditions. It can also be fitted with steel sheeting panels toweather-proof loads.

Providing efficient hand-ling for pallets ready for

immediate deployment using a standard or all-terrain forklift, the system allows operators tostore things off the floor, keeping them saferand more accessible, and the system’s flexibilitymeans it can be constructed according tocustomer requirements. ‘The largest we haveever installed had 1,900 bay positions that tookthree months to install, and we also providesmaller systems that take around two weeks,’Rhodes explained. ‘In terms of construction, wecan either provide installation manuals for self-installation (if the logistics of getting our peoplein to install it are too difficult), or we send aninstallation supervisor who can be supple-mented by local people – in Afghanistan thiswould be military personnel.’

Ban-Air can also adjust aspects to suitparticular customers, something it is currentlyworking on for the RAF, which requires a slightlydifferent sized bay. The system is reusable and can be dismantled, then reinstalled at newsites, and is delivered in-theatre via military orcommercial cargo planes.

Getting the basic handling and storageequipment in place on airfields and MOBs is avital step in being able to capably keep the frontline supplied. This equipment provides thebuilding blocks for a military that is able to meetthe complex challenges it faces, and provideswarfighters with the supplies they need to carryout efficient, battle-winning operations. MLI

The JCB 524 has also been provided to the MoDunder the C Vehicle Fleet PFI. (Photo: ALC)


FUSION INTHE SKIES

W hen the USAF announced its selectionof the Boeing KC-46A on 24 February,

the statement made no mention at all of theaircraft’s ability to carry cargo and passengers.

The first paragraph read: ‘The Department ofthe Air Force announced today the award of anengineering and manufacturing developmentcontract valued at more than $3.5 billion for theKC-46A aerial refueller to Boeing Company ofSeattle, Washington.’

It went on to quote Michael Donley, Secretaryof the Air Force, who said: ‘Many factors wereevaluated during the tanker selection process…Gen [Norton] Schwartz [USAF Chief of Staff]and I are confident in the fact that when ouryoung pilots, boom operators and maintainersreceive this aircraft, they will have the tools theyneed to be successful at what we ask them to do.’

Not mentioning the KC-46A’s logistictransport mission is oddly reminiscent of the oldconflict between the former Strategic AirCommand and Military Airlift Command overhow to make the best use of aircraft that areinherently capable of performing both tanker andtransport roles.

While Boeing does talk about the multi-mission capabilities of the 767 NewGenTanker–saying that it ‘delivers significantly more fuel,cargo, passengers and patients than the currentKC-135 tanker in a wide-body airplane, with anarrow-body footprint that affords the air forceinvaluable flexibility for a variety of operations’ –the aerial refuelling role takes centre stage.

Unlike the KC-767A, from which it is beingdeveloped, the KC-46 is not even labelled as a tanker transport. Without labouring this point any further, it probably says more aboutUSAF internal politics than it does about thevalidity of the multirole tanker transport (MRTT)concept, which is very much in the ascendantinternationally because of the flexibility it offersmilitary planners.

GRANDFATHER RIGHTS

Precise numbers on the KC-46A’s cargocapacity in weight have not been made public,

20 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL | May/June 2011 | Volume 6 Issue 3 www.mil-log.com

The RAF’s TriStar fleethas shown the flexibilityof the MRTT concept,with tanking capabilitiesand freight/passengeroptions. (Photo: MLI)

MULTIROLE AIR SUPPORT

As air forces are increasingly searching for flexibility in theirfleets, a number are considering combining tanker andtransport capabilities, Peter Donaldson reports.

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‘I always have theoption, if I need tosupplement airlift,

to switch roles.’

but its immediate predecessor, the KC-767A,will carry 19 NATO standard 463L pallets on itsmain deck, which offers 230 cubic metres ofcargo volume. In a passenger-only configuration,it has FAA certification to carry up to 200passengers in airline-style seats that aremounted on military cargo pallets. In a typicalcombi setup, it will carry 100 passengers andten 463L pallets. According to Boeing data, theKC-767A has a maximum fuel capacity of justover 73,000kg, 3,175kg less than that of the767-200ER on which it is based.

KC-46A NewGen Tankers are set to replace179 of the USAF’s 400 KC-135 Stratotankers,which have a maximum fuel load of 95,000kg.Although generally thought of as a pure refueller, the Stratotanker has a deck above therefuelling system that can carry a mixed load of passengers and cargo. Depending on fuel storage configuration, it can carry up to38,000kg on six pallets or 37 passengers,according to the USAF.

The aircraft not selected for KC-X has,however, enjoyed considerable success in othermarkets. The Airbus A330 MRTT has beenchosen by the air forces of Australia, France,Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the UK. This aircraftcarries all of its 111,000kg of fuel in the wings,leaving the cabin free for cargo, and enablessimultaneous tanker and transport missions.Configured for cargo, it will carry up to 34 NATO463L pallets, 26 of them on the main deck andeight on the lower deck. A typical combiconfiguration might be five 463L pallets and 136palletised seats.

RAF EVOLUTION

Delivery of the first UK RAF A330 MRTT under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraftprogramme is scheduled for late 2011. Despitethe controversial Private Finance Initiative under which the aircraft is being procured, the programme survived the October 2010Strategic Defence and Security Review, and the14 aircraft under contract will begin to replacea total of 24 TriStars and VC10s. The threeTriStar variants will be withdrawn from service

beginning in 2013 as the A330s come onstream. Meanwhile, plans call for the VC10s tooperate only as tankers before being withdrawnby 2013.

Notably, the VC10 C1Ks and the TriStarKC1s are themselves dual-role tanker transports.The majority of the VC10s are K3 and K4tankers whose passenger transport duties,according to the RAF, are limited to carryingground crew and operational support personnel.The C1K variant, however, can carry either 150passengers, 20,500kg of freight on pallets inthe floor-strengthened cabin or up to 76stretchers. The aircraft can also carry 70,000kgof fuel in their eight original tanks.

Following an upgrade that saw the additionof 43,900kg capacity under-floor fuel tanks, theTriStar K1s and KC1s can carry a total fuel load of 139,700kg, which they can use them-selves or give away to receiving aircraft. Eventhough the aircraft can only use one of its two hose-drum refuelling units at any one time,on a typical refuelling flight from the UK toCyprus or Gander in Canada, the TriStar KC1can support up to four fast jets, while carryingup to 31,000kg of cargo and/or passengers,according to the RAF.

The KC1 variant has a freight door and roller conveyor system for outsize palletisedcargo, which the K1 lacks, although this aircraft can carry up to 187 passengers in therear cabin. The passenger-only C2 and C2Aversions seat 266.

CANADIAN COMBINATION

Canada is a recent returnee to the MRTTconcept, having converted two of its fleet of fiveCC-150 Polaris (Airbus A310) passenger andcargo transports to tanker transports. Germanyalso operates the type, which is only availableas a conversion of an existing aircraft becauseA310 production has ceased.

Canada’s aircraft restore a strategic aerialrefuelling capability that was lost when it retiredits CC-137 (Boeing 707) fleet in 1997. ThePolaris tanker transports were central toCanada’s deployment of seven CF-188 Hornetsto Trapani in Italy to take part in the ongoingNATO operations over Libya, as Maj Gen YvanBlondin, Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division,explained to Military Logistics International.

‘We used two tankers to take them acrossand kept them in-theatre for operations,’ he said. ‘We sent two C-17s to give them �

Canada used its CC-150Polaris tankers todeploy F-18s to Trapaniin Sicily for operationsover Libya. (Photo:Canadian DND)


22 MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL | May/June 2011 | Volume 6 Issue 3 www.mil-log.com

enough to be able to operate for the first seven days. That’s with people, parts and equipmentto settle in.’

The exact mix of aircraft varies betweendeployments. ‘It’s always dependent on what’savailable at the other end,’ Blondin said. ‘If youare getting into a place where you already havesome telecommunications and IT equipment,then you need to bring less. If you’re going into an austere base where you need to bring everything, then you need more. In this case, with the F-18s deploying into Trapani,we had to have another two C-17 loads of equipment.’

As a transport aircraft, the CC-150 Polariscan be configured for passengers, freight or asa flying hospital for stretcher cases, or anycombination of these. It can carry up to 194passengers or a load of up to 32,000kg. As atanker, each aircraft can transfer up to 36,000kgto receiving aircraft over a range of 4,830km,according to Canadian Department of National

Defence figures. One Polaris can ferry fourHornets non-stop across the Atlantic.

This kind of deployment, however, does showup some of the limitations of a relatively smallaircraft. The Polaris MRTT can carry somepeople and equipment while configured as atanker, but meeting the logistic requirements for Libya still demanded additional dedicatedcargo aircraft. The extra fuel tanks in the cabinput a significant restriction on cargo capacity.‘You can put a few suitcases, a few parts, a fewtools, a few people in there,’ Blondin said. ‘Butwe are talking about maybe ten or 15 morepeople, not 100.’

SWAPPING ROLES

The two converted aircraft, modified byLufthansa Technik in Germany, are generally keptin the tanker configuration, as their normalmission in Canada is to support NORAD airdefence fighters. ‘But I always have the option,if I need to supplement airlift, to switch roles,’ he

said. The conversion process itself takes aboutfive days, but it is fairly flexible for me, so long asI can plan it in advance.’

Sometimes, however, plans change. ‘Wewere planning, a few weeks back, to supplementour airlift capability with a combo Airbus,’ he explained. ‘Now that we have switched into the operations over Libya, we need thetanking capability. The two tankers ended upbeing what we need with the F-18s, but it is alsoneeded from a NATO perspective. We [NATO]have lots of tankers that can tank with the[boom], but to have the basket capabilityavailable to some of the allies ended up beinga godsend to the operation. We are refuellingUSN EW platforms, the French and the Brits,as well as Canadian F-18s.’

When they are eventually released from theLibyan operation, the Polaris tankers could findthemselves converted to the transport role tosupport Canada’s drawdown from Afghanistan.

As Canada considers its options for providingtanker support to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter,which is equipped for boom rather than probeand drogue refuelling, a larger MRTT capableof simultaneous tanker and transport operationsis to be discussed in Ottawa this year. Theleadership will ponder whether to request an F-35 variant with a probe, rather than areceptacle to suit the CC-150s, add booms tothem, or go to a more capable aircraft such asa 767 or A330. ‘Well certainly it is an option,especially for a small air force like Canada,’Blondin added. ‘We can’t afford to havededicated fleets that only do a certain role, sothe more flexibility that we can inject into ourfleets, the more options it gives us.’ MLI

The KC-10 Extender was the firstaircraft to be able to undertakesimultaneous tanking, freight andpassenger operations. (Photo: US DoD)

A Royal Saudi Air Force A330 MRTT before the final fitting of refuelling equipment. TheRSAF is one of four customers who have selected this flexible aircraft. (Photo: EADS)




BASE TECHNOLOGY


A rmed forces have used fixed, defendedpositions since time immemorial – as just

one such example, the military history of theRoman Empire can be written in the story of itsforts and fortifications. But as operations havedeveloped in Iraq, and now Afghanistan, the roleof the forward operating base (FOB) or patrolbase (PB) has developed beyond that of asimple, static facility. And this means that therehas had to be a reassessment of how these aremade up and operated.

WIDER FOOTPRINT

Brig James Cowan pointed out in his present-ation to the Defence Logistics conference late last year how the military landscape hadchanged in southern Afghanistan when hecommanded the British Army’s 11 Light Brigadeon Operation Herrick XI (October 2009-April 2010).

‘The footprint of PBs has been expanding in the UK area of operations over the past few years, as we seek to establish wider security coverage,’ Cowan said. He pointed outthat at the end of Operation Herrick IX (April2009), there were 55 UK bases in HelmandProvince. This grew to 76 by October 2009,reached 105 in April 2010 and hit 132 inNovember 2010.

The logistics implications of these bases arewide, but simple – each FOB/PB has to besupported with fuel, water and food, and this means combat logistics patrols are neededto deliver bulk supplies. A UK MoD study from 2009 highlighted that, although FOBsaccounted for only 3% of actual fuel usage, theyate up some 25% of the fully burdened fuelcosts when the issues of force protection anddelivery were taken into account. So anything

to reduce fuel costs, as just one example, wouldbe a major logistical benefit.

STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH

Via several mutations and avenues of approach,this led to the FOBEX 10 programme, whichsaw the demonstration of a range of differenttechnologies and systems aimed at helping to

‘ExFOB 2011 is intendedto investigate further intoconcentrated solar power,as well as stationaryvehicle power.’

reduce the power requirements of a typicalFOB. This is not the entire picture of FOBEX,as is made clear by the MoD’s explanation: ‘TheFOBEX programme… is trying to treat the FOBas a system that will allow industry to apply asystems engineering approach to it. All aspectsof an FOB are being examined, from helicopterlanding aids to low-power laundry solutions.’ �

FOB power issues can be addressed from the supply and demand sides. Here, aSelex Galileo Observer surveillance system is trialled. (Photo: Selex Galileo)

SMARTERINFRASTRUCTU RE

They might be humblestructures, but FOBs are a majorlogistics driver on operations inAfghanistan. Several militaries arenow seeing what they can do tolower the FOB logistic burden,discovers Francis Tusa.

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BASE TECHNOLOGY


However, power requirements are a key factorwithin FOBEX, according to the MoD. Aparticular strand of the programme, calledPOWERFOB, was initiated to allow the ministryto seek ideas and technology that could eitherreduce the energy requirements of a base orprovide alternatives to the current dieselgenerators. The MoD said that any alternativesystems had to provide a similar level of electricalpower, with the same degree of robustness/resilience, and remove the logistics burden oftransporting fuel to the base.

CASTRUM CREATED

A wide range of industry expertise has beeninvolved in FOBEX, but one consortium hasbrought together nine companies, led byFinmeccanica Battlespace Solutions (BAESystems, Rolls-Royce, IBM, Paradigm, MarshallSV, MIRA, Hertel and NSC), seeking to providea systems solution to the FOB.

The Castrum consortium has been looking tohelp reduce the fuel logistics footprint from allsides of the equation. On the one hand, throughuse of technologies such as BAE Systems’Intelligent Energy Manager, power output canbe optimised – it is well known that today,people tend to add generators at random toprovide power at bases, with the result that fewoperate at their peak efficiency. Rolls-Royce, theproducer of the British Army’s Field ElectricalPower Source range of mobile generators, also offers better power management optionsfor FOBs.

On the other side of the equation, plans arebeing tested to reduce the power demands ofan FOB. Low-power surveillance systems havebeen tested by Selex Galileo, and otherelements of camp infrastructure are also beingexamined. Marshall SV deployed low-useablutions blocks, all containerised, that reducewater usage from 25,000l per week to 5,000,and cut consumption in laundry facilities by80%. A containerised incinerator not only burnswaste, but the energy generated can then beused to heat water – another logistics saving. Ina country such as Afghanistan, water can be the

second-largest logistics burden behind fuel, andoften well ahead of ammunition.

Other suppliers have been involved withFOBEX, displaying technologies such asconformal solar panels and other non-traditionalpower-generation sources (a key driver within FOBEX). The MoD is keen on solar andwind generation, as well as power-from-waste.The aim of these alternative technologies is to‘power a typical FOB (50KW) using no dieselat all’.

FOBEX is feeding ideas and concepts intothe UK’s Generic Base Architecture, which isseeking to create a series of scalable optionsfor operations. These see FOBs as ranging fromaustere and potentially transitory, through tohaving the complete range of services. AsCowan explained, a Level 0 FOB would be ‘asyou find it’, with no infrastructure. Level 1 wouldbe ‘austere’ with minimal add-ons, which wouldmean that it would not be suitable for 365-dayinhabitation, and base administration woulddetract from operations. Level 2 is the minimumlevel to permit year-round operations, while Level 3 would take the longest time to establishwith the largest range of facilities, but wouldrequire the lowest base administration, a savingin manpower.

PARALLEL EFFORT

The UK’s FOBEX efforts are linked with the Canadian Department of National Defence,as well as the USMC. The latter’s effort is the Experimental Forward Operating Base

(ExFOB), and it has been running since 2009. Technologies demonstrated in ExFOB2010 were subsequently deployed on oper-ations in Afghanistan.

Initial research went into basic power-generation technologies, such as solar panels(some integrated into tentage), efficient tentinsulation and low-power lights. These devel-oped into trials in the Mojave Desert in July 2010of 300W solar-power generation, enough for acompany-sized FOB, as well as solar batterychargers. When deployed to Afghanistan, thecollection of these technologies saw two PBsentirely powered by renewable energy sources,and a third saw a reduction in its dieselconsumption by 90%.

The next stage, ExFOB 2011, is intended toinvestigate further into concentrated solar power,as well as stationary vehicle power – specificallyhow to produce power more efficiently thanrunning a vehicle’s engine. This can require over3.5l of fuel per hour, which compares veryunfavourably with generators for the power load required.

Both the MoD and the USMC say that thesetrials are likely to continue, as technologies will evolve, and the requirement for FOBs/PBs will endure across the range of militaryoperations. The one question that has yet to beanswered, however, is how flexible a largenumber of the technologies being trialled underFOBEX/ExFOB will be if forces are deployedin theatres where solar power cannot be relied upon. MLI

Trials lead to fielding. ZeroBase ReGenerator solar panels, trialled in the US,have now been deployed on operations in Afghanistan. (Photo: US DoD)

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25Volume 6 Issue 3 | May/June 2011 | MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONALwww.mil-log.com

GROWINGAFLOAT

25www.mil-log.com

E ven if the trend in naval affairs issupposedly towards ‘brown-water’

operations, those close to the littoral, there is stilla constant – to operate effectively, any navyworth its salt must have afloat support if it is tobe able to project, independently, combat andpolitical power overseas.

However, the need for this support is evenmore pressing for ‘blue-water’ fleets that areexpected to project and sustain a presence formany weeks. Asia now sees the two kinds ofoperation coming together.

There is certainly a desire and need tooperate further afield as countries’ economicinterests outside the region swell, and politicalinterest grows overseas. A number of Asiannaval vessels were deployed in order to extracttheir citizens from Libya this year, including the Xuzhou, a Chinese Jiangkai II-class frigate,and the Choi Young, a South Korean KDX-IIdestroyer. Both were deployed on anti-piracypatrols in the Gulf of Aden or off the Horn ofAfrica. India also sent two destroyers and the Austin-class dock amphibious transport INS Jalashwa.

LEADING FROM THE FRONT

Amongst those Asian navies seeking to providesupport for naval forces far from main bases,India is the most active in this arena, and thefrequency of its operations is increasing. Thecountry recently completed a five-day exercisein the South China Sea with Singapore(2,900km as the crow flies), sending the INSDelhi, the Rajput-class destroyers Ranvijay andRanveer, the oiler Jyoti and the corvette Kirch,with some 1,400 personnel aboard.

There is recognition within the Indian Navy (IN) that at-sea support is an absolutenecessity. The IN commissioned the fleet tanker INS Deepak on 21 January 2011, and itis the first of two ships ordered under a $233million contract with Fincantieri signed in 2007and 2009.

VAdm Arun Kumar Singh (retd), formercommander-in-chief of the Eastern NavalCommand at Visakhapatnam, stated that whilethe IN has two fleet tankers, with another pairon order, a total of 12 are needed. The vesselscurrently in service are the Jyoti, a Project15966M merchant tanker sourced from Russia,and the smaller Aditya, built locally, with the INalso being obliged to acquire merchant tankersas an interim measure.

More vessels demanding additional capacityare on their way. The IN is also in the processof renewing its amphibious capability to replacethe INS Jalashwa at Visakhapatnam, which itacquired in January 2007. In March, India issuedan RfI for four vessels up to 200m in length that are able to carry armoured vehicles and

Asia is starting to increase the reach of its navies byenhancing its afloat support shipping. Adam Baddeleyexamines recent developments.

main battle tanks, a marine battalion and havedecks for heavy-lift helicopters. The IN is alsoseeking ten landing craft that can carry loads ofup to 55t.

India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INSVikrant, is now expected to be delivered to the IN in 2014, where it will join the INSVikramaditya, formerly the RFS AdmiralGorshkov, which is due by December 2012.

Other forms of forward-deployed support arealso being provided. India already has a floatingdock based in the Andaman and NicobarIslands, with a lifting capacity of 11,500t, and itnow has detailed plans for a second with an8,000t capacity.

ANZAC AUXILIARY AUGMENTATION

Australia’s decision to acquire the RFA LargsBay – a Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) that was declared surplus to requirements by the UK in October 2010 – underlines a renewal ofinterest in the area, even if there is the makingof a capability gap until the new Canberra-classvessels arrive in 2014. �

New wine in old bottles – New Zealand was able to take anold oiler, HMNZS Endeavour, and make it compliant withmodern maritime regulations. (Photo: Australian DoD)

SUPPORT VESSELS

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SUPPORT VESSELS


Australia’s announcement that it is acquiringthe Largs Bay was accompanied by thedecision to pay off the modified Newport-classlanding ship HMAS Manoora early.

The choice was taken after the Australiangovernment received an A$20 million (US$22million) estimate to rectify serious corrosionissues and engine problems, with the latterexpected to take 12 months to fix. HMASKanimbla, her sister ship, is unlikely to resumeoperations until mid-2012, if at all, while theheavy-lift ship HMAS Tobruk is due to be paidoff late next year.

This would have made the Australian DefenceForce’s new ANZAC Ready Response Forcewholly reliant on the HMNZS Canterburymultirole ship for support in the short term. Largs Bay was acquired in response to thisshortcoming, and will serve as an interim andtraining capability until the two Canberra-classamphibious assault ships enter service in 2014and 2015. HMAS Canberra was launched on18 February 2011 at Navantia’s El Ferrolshipyard, and it will be taken to Australia forcompletion, including the construction of thesuperstructure at BAE Systems Australia’sWilliamstown facility.

New Zealand’s HMNZS Endeavour hasrecently been converted into a double-hull tanker,although it is planned to be replaced from 2013-16 with a similar or more capable vessel iffunding permits.

DEMANDING DRAGON

China’s replenishment at sea (RAS) require-ments are about to expand exponentially withthe advent of its carrier force. There will, however,be delays in production of the first of two50,000-60,000t indigenous carriers, as the CIC-Changxing shipyard has reported that it is shortof skilled workers. This has inevitably led toprogramme slippage, and now the first carrierwill be delivered in 2014.

The Dalian shipyard is currently working onrefurbishing the former Soviet carrier RFSVaryag, which has been renamed Shi Lang, andit is believed it will become operational fortraining purposes as early as this year, but moreprobably 2012. A second indigenous carrier isalso planned for construction at Dalian.

However, these ships are not all that is onChina’s shopping list. It is also reported that thecountry has committed to acquiring three to sixType 081 helicopter carriers, and fromNovember 2011, two Type 071 dock landingships should also become available.

What is missing from China’s navalconstruction boom are reports of the necessarysupport ships. One reason why RAS might notbe so important is the country’s ‘string of pearls’strategy, linking sea lanes from Sudan to HongKong with naval bases along the way. China hasbeen able to secure significant changes in policyfrom a variety of Asian countries.

Although the Pakistani government signed a40-year deal with the Port of Singapore Authorityin 2005 to manage the port of Gwadar, there isalso an agreement for the Chinese Navy to use

the facility, close to the Straits of Hormuz. Witheconomic investment in Africa as well, Chinacould also start to arrange similar deals in eastAfrican ports.

TENTATIVE STEPS

Malaysia had been widely expected to opt forlogistics vessels or multi-purpose support ships(MPSS) in its tenth five-year plan (10MP),although in December 2010, Defence MinisterAhmad Zahid Hamidi said that this had beencancelled. Instead, the navy has traded thisaspiration to ensure that it secured sufficientfunding for six 99m, second-generation patrolvessels, sometimes called ‘littoral combat ships’ that are designed to support its interestsin areas such as the Spratly Islands wheretensions have been ratcheted up amongst thevarious claimants.

In 2009, Malaysia lost the tank landing shipKD Sri Inderapura, the Royal Malaysian Navy’s(RMN’s) biggest support vessel, in a fire. Thecapability gap has been plugged by leasing anAlligator-class ship, LST Hyangro Bong, fromSouth Korea as an interim replacement. The

India has ambitions for naval forceprojection, and has bought two advancedauxiliary oilers from Fincantieri. (Photo: Fincantieri)


The first of the Indonesian Navy’s newest class of amphibious support ships, Makassar, builtwith the assistance of South Korea’s Daewoo. (Photo: PT PAL)


SUPPORT VESSELS

www.mil-log.com

RMN can also call upon KD Mahawangsa, a4,300t MPSS.

The acquisition of three MPSSs waspreviously seen as central to the navy’saspirations under the 10MP, and based arounda landing platform dock (LPD) rather than ahelicopter assault ship. Adm Abdul Aziz Jaafar,Chief of the RMN, was reported in 2010 assaying that this was the service’s top priority.

The withdrawal from significant overseasdeployment by Malaysia is, in part, related toissues associated with the transfer of 17 vesselsin support of the Malaysian MaritimeEnforcement Agency in the mid-1990s. Thesehave not been replaced, and over time this hasimpacted on the ability to deploy six ships off theMalaysian coast, which explains the willingnessto trade off the MPSS for a five-yearprocurement budget of $357.9 million.

South Korea has established a number oflinks with regional navies in the field of support.In Indonesia, Daewoo has worked with domesticdockyard PT PAL to provide a series of four125m-long LPDs. The last of the class, BandaAceh, completed sea trials in March 2011. The

ship can carry up to 500 troops in overload, andhas vehicle decks that can carry up to 40vehicles, including tanks.

MOVING STEADILY

In March, Singapore’s RAdm Harris Chan tookcontrol of Combined Task Force 151 in theIndian Ocean with the 25-strong commandteam based on the USS Mason, and thecountry also headed the task force from Januaryto April 2010. The Singapore Armed Forceshave dispatched a second ship to help the anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

While larger navies, such as Malaysia, havepostponed support-ship plans, others, at leastfor the moment, are continuing with theirs. ThePhilippines are reported to be in finalnegotiations to acquire a multirole vessel that issimilar to the RMN’s logistic support ship KDMahawangsa, albeit with roughly two-thirds thedisplacement, not least to support its ongoingefforts in the Spratlys.

The Royal Thai Navy's aircraft carrier, theHTMS Chakri Naruebet, based at Sattahipnaval base, is designed for force projection, butonly in Thai waters where it is tasked withdisaster relief and amphibious warfare support.Its most recent task was to support flood reliefin the southern Thai province of Songkhla, whereit was reported that it managed to be on stationwithin ten hours of receiving orders. The HTMSSimilan, a Chinese-built 35,000t oiler, alsoprovided replenishment support for the corvetteHTMS Pattani on the anti-piracy patrols in theGulf of Aden, where it returned in January.

Many Asia-Pacific navies have the aspirationand need to conduct blue-water operations, ifonly to secure economic rights around outlyingislands. In an increasing number of cases, theyhave acquired the necessary principal surfacecombatants, in no small part for reasons ofprestige, but have not invested in the supportmechanisms to use them effectively. With leadtimes of at least five years when buying off theshelf, and perhaps many more for local designs,a number of capabilities acquired on the combatside simply cannot be supported at distancefrom home bases. MLI

‘A number of Asiannaval vessels weredeployed in order toextract their citizensfrom Libya this year.’

HMAS Canberra after launch at El Ferrolin Spain. The amphibious assault ship’ssuperstructure will be completed inAustralia. (Photo: Australian DoD)


M aersk Line Ltd (MLL) has beensupporting the US military since 1983

in a variety of maritime roles, as Bob Bowers,the company’s senior director, maritime technicalservices, explains.

‘MLL integrates the marine maintenancecommunity with the government customer,leveraging commercial networks and experienceto obtain the best service for military customers.Our key programmes include operations and maintenance of Fast Sealift Ships for the US Maritime Administration, special missionships for Military Sealift Command (MSC) andUS Army watercraft.’

The MLL US-flagged, government-ownedfleet includes eight Fast Sealift Ships, twoconverted ships for ammunition pre-positioningand four large ro-ro ships that can carry up tothe equivalent of 1,800 HMMWVs, as well asmore than 25 other vessels normally on comm-ercial charter. MLL’s corporate heritage stemsback to its Danish parent, but the US subsidiaryhas adapted to meet specific national require-ments for ship operations and maintenance.

Bowers expanded on what MLL is able tobring to the ship operations and support piecefor the DoD.

‘We are a ship owner and operator and havethe ability to pull from years of operatingexperience to make lifecycle decisions andrecommendations for our customers. We canreach back into the Maersk family of companiesto bring forward innovative marine technologies.

‘A recent example is a contract with the NavalSurface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, toapply advanced waste heat recovery (AWHR)technology to MSC ships. AWHR systemscapture energy from the hot exhaust of shipengines and use the heat as a source of powerto reduce fuel consumption.

‘MLL’s parent company, AP Moller-MaerskGroup, fitted its first AWHR system nearly adecade ago and has installed it on much of its1,300-ship fleet. Maersk has worked withleading component manufacturers to hone the technology, design and operation of thesystem, and now installs AWHR on every newship it builds.’

COMMERCIAL CROSSOVER

Energy efficiency will only become more andmore important, Bowers predicted: ‘[It] willremain a key issue. Commercial and governmentcustomers are seeking equipment andprocesses that drive down fuel consumption,reduce emissions and improve reliability. Newship design and equipment are making greatleaps in fuel efficiency. A tremendous opportunityexists to bring energy efficiency to current fleets.’

Bowers continued on the theme of how thecommercial and military markets are affected bythe same trends, and what MLL can bring to thedefence customer to help ease this problem.

‘There is a significant overlap betweencommercial and military ship technology. Hull, mechanical and electrical systems arealmost identical, which makes outsourcing a low-risk option from a mission perspective, and potentially very high value from a coststandpoint. The navy or coast guard can achievesignificant cost benefits by drawing on theavailable commercial marine maintenancecapability across the globe, as opposed to

LIFELONGPROVISION

‘A tremendousopportunity exists tobring energy efficiencyto current fleets.’

maintaining their own infrastructure and staff.’Bowers sees MLL’s international experience asa major advantage when it comes to serviceprovision for a customer like the DoD.

‘European countries incorporate aspects of“classification”, used in commercial shipping, asa cornerstone of maintenance,’ he explained.‘[This] uses ship classification societies such asLloyd’s Register, Det Norske Veritas or theAmerican Bureau of Shipping to survey andinspect the condition of ships, ship systems,safety equipment and pollution-control equip-ment. In serving our US military customers, MLLincorporates this classification tool but adds thefollow-up needed to act on the results of surveysand inspections.’

So MLL brings international experience to thetask of ship operations and support, and this isnot just for its own products or vessels, asBowers explained.

‘We provide maintenance managementservices for a variety of US Army vesselsstationed in Yokohama, Japan. Under thiscontract, we are responsible for the upkeep andreadiness of over 30 watercraft.’

And what of the future as a service providerto the Pentagon in the maritime arena?

‘We see the DoD looking for supportproviders that can extend the life of its assets,allowing it to defer investment in new systemsand equipment,’ he concluded. ‘Operatingbudgets will get tighter, and contractors will bemeasured against more stringent cost metrics.Fixed-price contracts are likely to increase.Where cost-plus contracts remain, the DoD willincentivise contractors to control overhead costs.These trends were spelled out in the Dr Carter[Ashton Carter, Under Secretary of Defense forAcquisition, Technology and Logistics] memo,and we expect to see their impact.’ MLI

28

DEPTH FORWARD


Henry Canaday talks toMaersk’s Bob Bowers aboutthe company’s shippingoperations and maintenancework for the US DoD.

MLI_MayJun11_p28_Depth_Forward:Layout 1 5/5/11 14:22 Page 28

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Military Logistics International (May/June)