Practical Sustainment Concepts for the Non-Linear Battlespace

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Figure 6: A representative sustainment network in the non-linear battlefield of Afghanistan The sustainment concept for the non-linear battlefield is motivated not by the distribution of resources on the ground; rather by the fluidity by which resources can move between nodes, in a network of support. Where operations are conducted, there is a natural pull of additional support. Consequently, reallocations are provided from adjacent nodes where resources may be in greater abundance. Ideally, for this to function, one must know where the support is located, where it is required, and have the will and authority to move the resources around in accordance with the commander’s intent. This requires a significant amount of centralized coordination. Also, this centralized coordination must have the authority to conduct the link tasks in synchronization with the manoeuvre plan. During OP ATHENA R4, this task fell on the NSE Log Ops, in close coordination with the Provincial Operations Centre: the J4 for the planning, coordination and execution of node tasks, and the J3 for link tasks. TI Units Sustainment Organization Leaguer, Artillery Manoeuvre Area (AMA) or Drop Zone (DZ). Strongpoint (SP) Patrol Base (PB) Forward Operating Base (FOB) - A suborganization from a unit secures ground for a temporary task - Elements from any number of units. - Sub-unit size - Elements from any number of units. - Elements from any number of units. Camp - Elements from any number of units. - Unit sized Support Base (SB) - The SB is the highest level of TI, in that it provides a window of sustainment with strategic levels. - IS elements attached to the unit - IS elements attached to the unit - A sustainment det manages CS services - A sustainment det manages CS and limited GS services - Last level of integrated sustainment organization - Theatre-level sustainment coord capabilities - Technical authorities for sustainment tasks Infrastructure Commodity Replenishment - Temporary, mobile, and implemented without SE. - Temporary infra oriented towards FP - force protection and limited sustainment tasks. - Complex sustainment infra, albeit temporary. - SE resources are resident to maintain infra as required. Table 3: Comparison of Sustainment Systems in the Linear and Non-Linear Battlefields. 52 Canadian Army Journal Vol. 11.2 Summer 2008 Dependency Management Effort - Carried by unit - Cannot provide support to other nodes - Force Protection - Rapidity of deployment and extraction - Tracked by unit - Cannot provide support - Force - Pushed by unit by to other nodes Protection CLP, airlift or CDS - Holding ground - Tracked by CSS det - Pushed by Log Ops by JT or CLP - Tracked by CSS det - Pushed by Log Ops by JT or CLP - As opposed to a FOB, - Tracked by the sustainment sustainment infrastructure in a camp organization is permanent. - Capable of local and national procurement - Other infrastructure may be similar to that found in a camp, just to greater complexity. - Tracked nationally - Replenished by operational-level depots - Stock piling of - Force commodities can be Protection envisioned, so can - Service Support therefore replenish other nodes. - Stock piling of - Service Support commodities can be - Force envisioned, so can Protection therefore replenish other nodes. - This is the first level that can accommodate surges of manoeuvre units without a reliance on external resources. - In most cases, a single “theatre” SB will exist that provides in- and outflow of resources with Canada. - Service Support - Commodity build-up - Force Protection - Service Support - Maintenance of Rear Link - Commodity build-up - Force Protection
The Hierarchy of Nodes A few observations can be made to facilitate the planning of sustainment to combat operations. First of all, the level of service in various nodes is inherently progressive. The smallest of nodes can literally be a 5/20 drill, 3 which is essentially the first step in securing ground for the conduct of a task. Of course, nodes can vary in size all the way up to the very significant infrastructure seen today in KAF, where 13,000 people live and work. During OP ATHENA Roto 4, the order OP ZERIN ZMARAY (Ref B) defined the level of support in a given node as a function of the disposition of units on a piece of ground. The order called nodes Tactical Infrastructures (TI) and defined a hierarchy as summarized in Table 3. Arguably, these concepts could potentially apply to any nonlinear theatre environment. Generally speaking, support is provided from superior nodes to inferior ones. For example, a supply detachment in a PB will likely receive support from an adjacent FOB or camp, as opposed to receiving from a SP or leaguer. One could say that a certain dependency exists between nodes of equal or greater levels of support. There are nonetheless limits; OP ZERIN ZMARAY also showed that only nodes of a certain level of support could be used as dependencies. Column “Dependencies” of Table 3 shows that TI under that of PB do not have the capability to stock materials in sufficient quantities in order to replenish other nodes without additional assistance. Nonetheless, one can use this general rule of superior node dependency in order to design sustainment architectures, and an example of this is shown in Figure 7. Figure 7: The rule of superior node dependency. The arrows denote dependency on superior nodes. There are exceptions to the rule of superior node dependency, as it would be feasible to see the reduction or even dissolution of an inferior node in order to boost a node in support of a priority operation. Also, if specialized or high value service exists in another location, such as a mobile repair team (MRT) for a certain type of vehicle, then that service can be re-tasked from an inferior node. Nonetheless, superior node dependency can be considered a general rule of thumb for sustainment planning. We can make an analogy of the sustainment network to the Internet. The nodes are equivalent to the hierarchy of ports, switches, routers, hubs and servers in order of increasing capability to transfer information. Links are comparable to trunks, wires, or wireless connections that bring a given service to the users on the nodes. When an Internet user submits a request, it is processed through the switch. If the information requested is available within the switch’s internal network, then the information is rendered. Otherwise, the request is pushed to the router, to hubs and servers until such time as the information is located and pushed back through the architecture to the user. Similarly, when an infantry soldier submits a support request (e.g., a repair request), it is processed initially by the CSS det in his PB. If the support is within the control of the CSS det, then the request is approved, and the service is rendered (i.e. vehicle is repaired). Otherwise, the request is further dispatched between FOBs, camps and SB until the resource is located and pushed back through the network to the user. There is Canadian Army Journal Vol. 11.2 Summer 2008 53
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Practical Sustainment Concepts for the Non-Linear Battlespace

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