US Army: An attack on Europe or the Pacific requires large-scale logistics

Tongdao Think Tank 2024-08-06 09:00 Beijing

Artillery, fighter attacks, amphibious assaults at sea, long-range rocket fire, and infantry attacks on foot are all frequently mentioned and highlighted tactical areas, however, these operations are achieved by an indispensable and far-reaching element of warfare - logistics, as reported by Warriors on August 4.

Without ammunition it is impossible to attack, without transporting supplies it is impossible to advance, without fuel, food and armored vehicles cannot "move in contact" and break through enemy lines, yet these war necessities are easy to ignore. However, it is no exaggeration to say that countries that are better at managing and supporting logistics and supply chains are more likely to win in war, regardless of the relative lethality and effectiveness of weapons.

A published United States Army intelligence analysis has reached a key conclusion: any future "large-scale combat operations" with Russia are expected to take place in a European or Pacific theater of operations, which require large-scale, secure, and extensive logistics. The farther away the U.S. military needs to "forward deploy" and sustain combat operations, the more important supply lines and logistical support operations will be for large-scale major power warfare.

Recent intelligence analysis by the United States Army examines the war in Ukraine and other recent and ongoing conflicts to better predict the likely future war operational environment over the next decade. The United States Army Training and Doctrine Command's analysis report, titled "Operational Environment, Large-Scale Combat Operations 2024-2034," publishes the results and analysis of extensive research and investigation of the current operational environment

"The increased logistical requirements of large-scale strategic support operations will challenge the Army's support operations, and the enemy will target these operations from the territory to the battlefield," the report said. ”

Europe and Asia

Large-scale combat operations in Europe and the Pacific will each present a unique set of logistical challenges, in large part because they are far from the United States mainland and may require prolonged combat to be secured. Initially, each operation required a large number of forward deployments, including armored vehicles, ammunition, and the provision of food and water to combat units. Europe will need extensive ground logistics support, such as transport vehicles such as tactical trucks and mobile ammunition depots. Conflict in the European theater of operations also requires supply aircraft, such as the Air Force C-130, capable of transporting troops and critical supplies in high-risk, harsh hostile environments under enemy fire. Perhaps most importantly, advancing forces need a stable, secure supply of fuel and ammunition to support any ground advance into Russia or Eastern Europe. These are exactly the actions that the adversary could target, according to the Army report, whose conclusions are based on an extensive analysis of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"Adversaries will attempt to disrupt major supply routes at key choke points, such as restricted terrain, bridges, tunnels, and rail junctions," the study said. Protecting these routes is essential to sustain operations. Given the transparency of the battlefield, supply vehicles and convoys will be tracked to supply points, then targeted and subsequently destroyed by fire, weakening logistics and related means of transport and distribution. ”

Sure enough, Ukraine's defense system weakened Russia's initial offensive against its country by effectively and precisely targeting supply lines and convoys crossing bridges or trying to advance through narrow streets and passages. Most of these attacks relied on scattered groups of mobile warriors on foot, armed with anti-armor weapons such as Javelin anti-tank missiles. These attacks took the form of ambushes, hit-and-run and surprise attacks, along with surprise attacks from multiple angles from mobile hiking positions that were "difficult to detect and target". Army research found that such attacks by Ukraine on Russia's supply lines not only destroyed armored vehicles such as tactical trucks and tanks, but also significantly reduced the number of artillery available to Russia forces when they initially attempted to advance. Army intelligence research has found that Ukraine's attacks on Russia's ammunition supply have reduced its available ammunition to a quarter.

"At the height of the Russia-Ukraine war at the end of 2022, Russia fired 20,000 shells per day," the study found. As Russia's logistics nodes and main supply lines became targets for Ukraine artillery fire, Russia's daily firing rate dropped sharply to 5,000 rounds. ”

Therefore, studies have shown that any large-scale European campaign will be difficult to succeed unless fuel, ammunition and soldier reinforcements are tightly and actively protected from Russia's air and ground attacks. Even pre-positioned stockpile sites located in the safe zone of Europe need to be protected, and despite their proximity to the front lines on the European continent, there is still a huge risk of attack during transport.

Protecting materiel may be achieved in a variety of ways, for example, forward-fighting unmanned reconnaissance aircraft or even covert ground reconnaissance can look for Russia's attack points and target them before the convoy advances, to "clear the area" or ensure the passage of supplies. The Army report suggests that an integrated air-to-ground attack coupled with logistical support is critical to any successful European advance. These efforts will certainly be more challenging, as they will need to be carried out at United States supply depots across the Atlantic.

The United States presence in Eastern Europe has increased

This may be why the United States Army has thousands of forward troops deployed throughout Europe and Eastern Europe, including Poland, Germany, and even other NATO allies further east such as Romania, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic. A December 2023 Pentagon article specifically mentions United States' increased military presence and ongoing relationships in Romania as it involves F-16 training, about 3,000 United States soldiers, and MQ-9 Reaper drones. In December 2023, during a meeting with the Romania Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, United States Defense Minister Lloyd ·Austin told Romania leaders: "We are also grateful to you for hosting the increased presence of United States and allies," he said. "This will strengthen the deterrence of NATO's eastern flank."

Austin also noted that Romania plays a leading role in the Black Sea, aimed at protecting Ukraine's food supplies.

It would not be surprising if Austin and United States operational commanders received advice and advice from the Army intelligence community on the importance of forward combat support for Ukraine's logistics and supplies. This strategic and tactical approach is indicative of what United States needs to do in a potential conflict over the next decade, as resupply needs to be as close as possible to advancing forward forces.

Pacific Logistics

However, the geographical "vastness" of the Pacific is more likely to require coordinated air-sea integration through the use of forward tankers, air tankers, and surface supply vessels (e.g., tankers, supply ships), as well as shipboard supply and transport aircraft (e.g., Ospreys). Maritime mobile formations in the Pacific certainly also need drones and missile defense to protect supply and transport operations, which is one reason United States Navy aircraft carriers, destroyers, and cruisers are increasingly relying on unmanned surface ships for forward threat identification operations and layered ship defenses such as SM-2, 3, and 6 launched by vertical launch systems, deck guns and close defense, and interceptors such as CWIS and SeaRAM. Perhaps the United States' Navy's greatest advantage in any Pacific engagement is the carrier-based versions of the Joint Strike Fighter, including the amphibious-launched F-35B and the carrier-launched F-35C, as they can combine forward reconnaissance with long-range sensors and even attack enemy launch positions to protect United States naval supply lines at sea.