Defence

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Transforming Logistics support

Taking Stock: tracking inventory and assets poses major challenges for Defence organisations. Photo by AB Joanne Edwards.

The UK Defence Logistics Transformation Programme (DLTP) has been challenged to deliver savings of £2b by 2010/11 through the transformation of logistics support. The DLTP Team Leader Major General Tony Raper explains the reasons for, and progress in, delivering these vital improvements.

Why are we introducing yet another major change programme?

The logistic support we provide to the front-line needs to change to support expeditionary operations, the principal mode of operations of the UK Armed Forces. There is a difficult but necessary balance to be found in enabling operational effectiveness, whilst at the same time delivering substantial savings for reinvestment in both our current and future capabilities.

Transforming Logistics appears to cover a wide range of activities, what are your plans for delivery?

Achieving buy-in from the frontline commands and across the Defence Logistics Organisation has been a major achievement since the Programme began in May 2004. Detailed plans for delivery of improvements are either in place - or in the process of being put in place and we have Logistic Transformation teams active on the ground, implementing a wide range of improvements. These changes will bring improvements to the logistics support chain, reforming how we procure goods and services from industry. Right now, there are over 750 individual projects under consideration, ranging from small improvements in equipment workshops, to redesign of production lines and partnered support solutions with industry.

It sometimes seems that the lessons identified at the end of every major operation highlight problems in the Supply Chain, when are we going to learn those lessons and do something about it?

The Supply Chain work underpins everything we are doing. There are historic Supply Chain logistic shortcomings - stock shortages, difficulties with asset tracking, deficiencies in logistic communications, failure to meet deadlines for the delivery of priority items and lack of control over the the link between the UK and the theatre of operations.

But logistics transformation is already delivering tangible improvements, particularly in Iraq, where same day delivery of materiel is now being achieved and in-theatre logisticians are justifiably proud of the service being delivered to the front-line.

Is the system so badly broken as some in the media have suggested?

Not at all, we must recognise and address known shortcomings, but all is not doom and gloom. For the UK, Op TELIC was the largest military operation since the 1990-91 Gulf War, featuring the deployment of significant military capabilities - 46,000 troops, 19 Warships, 14 Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, 15,000 vehicles, 115 fixed-wing aircraft and nearly 100 helicopters. Logistic effort was a key to this success, involving 78 ships and 360 aircraft sorties to transport personnel, equipment and supplies, moving over 9,100 ISO containers. Critically, the forces were deployed in 10 weeks, less than half the time it took to deploy a similar quantity of personnel and materiel for the 1990-91 Gulf War.

Is Transforming Logistics just about saving money?

Logistics has to save money, but for me, transformation is really about effectiveness. We need to ensure that logistics supports our readiness and preparedness to deploy, and ensures that our forces are provided with a reliable and dependable supply chain, with equipment that is reliable and fit for purpose. We also need to sustain our deployed forces and ensure that the whole support chain is geared to the needs of the operational commander and represents the best value for money to Defence.

The transformation of logistics support is big, difficult and challenging and is trying to change the way we do business, rather than just improve what we do now. Improving logistics support to the front-line is the business of us all, so my message is more of a challenge to anyone in the logistics support and supply chain business. Challenge what you know as individuals, challenge what you do as an organization and challenge the support arrangements around you. A lot of what we do is common sense and innovation from the users themselves, the rest is the application of intellectual and academic principles. Logistic transformation is demanding, but do-able. Expectations are high, but we have to deliver if we are to preserve the capabilities we have now, and to afford the capabilities we would like to enjoy in the future.

Source: UK Ministry of Defence.

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