Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Other Research
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Outreach
Global Networks
About Global Networks
RSIS Alumni
Executive Education
About Executive Education
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
International Programmes
About International Programmes
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
RSIS Commentary Series
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
Future Issues
IDSS Papers
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
Glossary of Abbreviations
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
RSIS Publications for the Year
External Publications for the Year
Media
Cohesive Societies
Sustainable Security
Other Resource Pages
News Releases
Speeches
Video/Audio Channel
External Podcasts
Events
Contact Us
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National SecurityInstitute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Other ResearchFuture Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSISScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to ApplyFinancial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Outreach
      Global NetworksAbout Global NetworksRSIS Alumni
      Executive EducationAbout Executive EducationSRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
      International ProgrammesAbout International ProgrammesAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersRSIS Commentary SeriesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsFuture IssuesIDSS PapersInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking Papers
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-Eds
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS AwardRSIS Publications for the YearExternal Publications for the Year
  • Media
      Cohesive SocietiesSustainable SecurityOther Resource PagesNews ReleasesSpeechesVideo/Audio ChannelExternal Podcasts
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      rsissg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS

      Get in Touch

    Connect
    Search
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • CO18118 | Three A’s of Military Logistics: Modernising the Armed Forces’ Tail
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • RSIS Commentary Series
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • Future Issues
    • IDSS Papers
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers

    CO18118 | Three A’s of Military Logistics: Modernising the Armed Forces’ Tail
    Zoe Stanley Lockman

    12 July 2018

    download pdf

    Synopsis

    Autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing have come to be discussed as the drivers of a futuristic brand of warfare replete with ‘killer robots’ and weapons on-demand. These technologies will almost inevitably change warfare, but their greatest impact will be behind the scenes – transforming the logistical ‘tail’ rather than the ‘teeth’ of combat.

    Commentary

    AT THE United Nations in Geneva, as in capitals around the globe, governments are hotly debating the legal, ethical and philosophical implications of lethal autonomous weapons systems – the so-called ‘killer robots’ – and proliferation risks associated with sensitive dual-use technologies.

    But below the threshold of kinetic activity, armed forces have already begun incorporating these exact kinds of technologies behind the scenes to the benefit of the logistical ‘tail’. An evolution in military logistics is brewing, driven largely by the three A’s of 21st-century innovation: automation and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing.

    Adapting to Technological Changes

    Logistics is ripe for adapting to these technological changes for two key reasons. Firstly, effective logistics is the common denominator across the full spectrum of security challenges. Be it for peace contingency operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, island defence or high-intensity urban operations, no military mission could succeed without timely delivery of supplies or pre-deployment information. This will remain steadfast in future operational environments for which the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and other modernising forces are preparing.

    Secondly, a decent share of military logistics overlaps with civilian logistics, and leading logistics companies have a history of working with militaries through privatisation and varied public-private partnership arrangements. This marries well with the fact that the three A’s of 21st-century innovation are largely driven by the commercial-tech sector, rather than the traditional defence industrial base.

    As military procurement agencies around the globe reorient toward increased commercial technology utilisation, logisticians should have a reflex – or at least a natural proclivity – toward working with companies outside the traditional defence industrial base.

    As the SAF adjust toward the future operating environment and contribute to Singapore’s aspiring status as a ‘Smart Nation’, logistics innovation will only become an increasingly urgent component of having a professional, connected and effective force.

    Automation and Autonomy: Robotic Logisticians

    Unmanned systems are already found in depots and warehouses to make supply chain management more efficient. In inventory control, one issue is the discrepancies between records and the stocks themselves. The use of unmanned systems to read radio frequency identification (RFID) tags at a distance can correct this mismatch.

    Borrowing tactics from global shipping companies, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have reduced the average aircraft inspection time from two hours to 15 minutes in some cases. This greater accuracy saves money by minimising excess stock – and in forward operating bases (FOBs) and more remote operating theatres, the efficiency also translates to enhanced mobility.

    Unmanned systems are attractive for transportation and distribution because they can offer tailored approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. These types of supply chain efficiencies reduce the required manpower for convoys, potentially compensating for lower recruitment or conscript rates.

    Incorporating more unmanned systems into deployed units does not fully replace human touch, but rather acts as a force multiplier for smaller militaries. Delegating tasks to machines gives troops more time to refocus on core combat tasks or ensuring more rest and sleep to make them more effective. Unarmed UAVs can be used for pre-deployment reconnaissance so that logisticians can determine, for example, how to navigate roads or where to locate supply routes.

    Artificial Intelligence: Complete Big Data Links

    In line with military modernisation trends around the globe, the SAF is actively moving toward a force where ‘nodes’ are linked together as part of a larger network. In large part, fostering this connectivity starts with logistics. The SAF already leverages information technology (IT) to transform facilities management (FM), including through the Automated Storage Retrieval System (ASRS), Mobile Racking and Shelving System and through an FM app and portal.

    In theory, AI could eventually replace any logistical task at hand. To take the SAF FM systems as an example, artificially intelligent systems could activate other ‘nodes’ in the system to perform necessary maintenance, repair or overhaul (MRO) tasks based on aggregated data from RFID chips.

    Another example would be AI analysing terrain to determine the fastest supply routes in a jungle versus city, or the most effective way to retrieve lost items. AI can analyse the patterns seen in data, identify outliers which signify issues such as sabotage – and then edge processing could filter out which information needs to be sent to higher echelons. In theatre, AI information sharing could further inter-unit cooperation or even jointness far faster than that of which humans are capable.

    Additive Manufacturing: Spare Parts Revisited

    The production and delivery of spares is also essential to keeping equipment operational, be it in the midst of an expeditionary operation or in response to an unanticipated national emergency. Additive manufacturing (e.g. 3D and 4D scanning and printing) offers new pathways to flatten supply chains and speed up delivery time through the prospect of on-site production, and offer an unprecedented degree of specialisation, meaning the printed parts would ultimately be compatible with various platforms.

    There are obstacles to large-scale utilisation of additive manufacturing in the armed forces today: raw materials can still be expensive and deployed personnel are not necessarily trained to operate the equipment. A switch to additive manufacturing would likely depend on market forces driving prices down and further training.

    In the area of logistics, automated and autonomous systems, AI and additive manufacturing are all relevant to the spectrum of security challenges facing the SAF and other small militaries seeking to economise on manpower. Investing in these technologies is usually either through acquisitions or partnerships with companies already active in these areas.

    While this should always be weighed against budgetary constraints, it is worth regularly revisiting the costs as technologies predominantly found in the civilian sphere become cheaper and go through technology lifecycles more quickly.

    Furthermore, these types of technologies will only become more widely available to state and non-state adversaries alike. In peacetime or otherwise, investments in a technologically enhanced logistical tail will ultimately serve as a force multiplier for higher operational readiness.

    About the Author

    Zoe Stanley-Lockman is an Associate Research Fellow with the Maritime Security Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series / General / Country and Region Studies / International Political Economy / International Politics and Security / Americas / East Asia and Asia Pacific / Europe
    comments powered by Disqus

    Synopsis

    Autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing have come to be discussed as the drivers of a futuristic brand of warfare replete with ‘killer robots’ and weapons on-demand. These technologies will almost inevitably change warfare, but their greatest impact will be behind the scenes – transforming the logistical ‘tail’ rather than the ‘teeth’ of combat.

    Commentary

    AT THE United Nations in Geneva, as in capitals around the globe, governments are hotly debating the legal, ethical and philosophical implications of lethal autonomous weapons systems – the so-called ‘killer robots’ – and proliferation risks associated with sensitive dual-use technologies.

    But below the threshold of kinetic activity, armed forces have already begun incorporating these exact kinds of technologies behind the scenes to the benefit of the logistical ‘tail’. An evolution in military logistics is brewing, driven largely by the three A’s of 21st-century innovation: automation and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing.

    Adapting to Technological Changes

    Logistics is ripe for adapting to these technological changes for two key reasons. Firstly, effective logistics is the common denominator across the full spectrum of security challenges. Be it for peace contingency operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, island defence or high-intensity urban operations, no military mission could succeed without timely delivery of supplies or pre-deployment information. This will remain steadfast in future operational environments for which the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and other modernising forces are preparing.

    Secondly, a decent share of military logistics overlaps with civilian logistics, and leading logistics companies have a history of working with militaries through privatisation and varied public-private partnership arrangements. This marries well with the fact that the three A’s of 21st-century innovation are largely driven by the commercial-tech sector, rather than the traditional defence industrial base.

    As military procurement agencies around the globe reorient toward increased commercial technology utilisation, logisticians should have a reflex – or at least a natural proclivity – toward working with companies outside the traditional defence industrial base.

    As the SAF adjust toward the future operating environment and contribute to Singapore’s aspiring status as a ‘Smart Nation’, logistics innovation will only become an increasingly urgent component of having a professional, connected and effective force.

    Automation and Autonomy: Robotic Logisticians

    Unmanned systems are already found in depots and warehouses to make supply chain management more efficient. In inventory control, one issue is the discrepancies between records and the stocks themselves. The use of unmanned systems to read radio frequency identification (RFID) tags at a distance can correct this mismatch.

    Borrowing tactics from global shipping companies, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have reduced the average aircraft inspection time from two hours to 15 minutes in some cases. This greater accuracy saves money by minimising excess stock – and in forward operating bases (FOBs) and more remote operating theatres, the efficiency also translates to enhanced mobility.

    Unmanned systems are attractive for transportation and distribution because they can offer tailored approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. These types of supply chain efficiencies reduce the required manpower for convoys, potentially compensating for lower recruitment or conscript rates.

    Incorporating more unmanned systems into deployed units does not fully replace human touch, but rather acts as a force multiplier for smaller militaries. Delegating tasks to machines gives troops more time to refocus on core combat tasks or ensuring more rest and sleep to make them more effective. Unarmed UAVs can be used for pre-deployment reconnaissance so that logisticians can determine, for example, how to navigate roads or where to locate supply routes.

    Artificial Intelligence: Complete Big Data Links

    In line with military modernisation trends around the globe, the SAF is actively moving toward a force where ‘nodes’ are linked together as part of a larger network. In large part, fostering this connectivity starts with logistics. The SAF already leverages information technology (IT) to transform facilities management (FM), including through the Automated Storage Retrieval System (ASRS), Mobile Racking and Shelving System and through an FM app and portal.

    In theory, AI could eventually replace any logistical task at hand. To take the SAF FM systems as an example, artificially intelligent systems could activate other ‘nodes’ in the system to perform necessary maintenance, repair or overhaul (MRO) tasks based on aggregated data from RFID chips.

    Another example would be AI analysing terrain to determine the fastest supply routes in a jungle versus city, or the most effective way to retrieve lost items. AI can analyse the patterns seen in data, identify outliers which signify issues such as sabotage – and then edge processing could filter out which information needs to be sent to higher echelons. In theatre, AI information sharing could further inter-unit cooperation or even jointness far faster than that of which humans are capable.

    Additive Manufacturing: Spare Parts Revisited

    The production and delivery of spares is also essential to keeping equipment operational, be it in the midst of an expeditionary operation or in response to an unanticipated national emergency. Additive manufacturing (e.g. 3D and 4D scanning and printing) offers new pathways to flatten supply chains and speed up delivery time through the prospect of on-site production, and offer an unprecedented degree of specialisation, meaning the printed parts would ultimately be compatible with various platforms.

    There are obstacles to large-scale utilisation of additive manufacturing in the armed forces today: raw materials can still be expensive and deployed personnel are not necessarily trained to operate the equipment. A switch to additive manufacturing would likely depend on market forces driving prices down and further training.

    In the area of logistics, automated and autonomous systems, AI and additive manufacturing are all relevant to the spectrum of security challenges facing the SAF and other small militaries seeking to economise on manpower. Investing in these technologies is usually either through acquisitions or partnerships with companies already active in these areas.

    While this should always be weighed against budgetary constraints, it is worth regularly revisiting the costs as technologies predominantly found in the civilian sphere become cheaper and go through technology lifecycles more quickly.

    Furthermore, these types of technologies will only become more widely available to state and non-state adversaries alike. In peacetime or otherwise, investments in a technologically enhanced logistical tail will ultimately serve as a force multiplier for higher operational readiness.

    About the Author

    Zoe Stanley-Lockman is an Associate Research Fellow with the Maritime Security Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

    Categories: RSIS Commentary Series / General / Country and Region Studies / International Political Economy / International Politics and Security

    Popular Links

    About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

    Connect with Us

    rsis.ntu
    rsis_ntu
    rsisntu
    rsisvideocast
    school/rsis-ntu
    rsis.sg
    rsissg
    RSIS
    RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    Getting to RSIS

    Nanyang Technological University
    Block S4, Level B3,
    50 Nanyang Avenue,
    Singapore 639798

    Click here for direction to RSIS

    Get in Touch

      Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
      Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
      Help us improve

        Rate your experience with this website
        123456
        Not satisfiedVery satisfied
        What did you like?
        0/255 characters
        What can be improved?
        0/255 characters
        Your email
        Please enter a valid email.
        Thank you for your feedback.
        This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
        OK
        Latest Book
        more info