Kress, Moshe

Distributed lethality (Ref I) calls for smaller, agile, yet lethal Surface Action Groups (SAGs) that operate in a distributed manner over a relatively large area of interest (AOI). Tactical implications of the Distributed Lethality (DL) concept have been studied by the Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center Command, and Naval War College (NWC). The studies are based on a Distributed Lethality Task Force and war games conducted at the NWC.

The DL concept brings about a serious logistic challenge: how to effectively and efficiently satisfy logistic demands at many locations dispersed over a large area. A fundamental dilemma in this context is choosing between two principles: logistic flexibility, derived from concentrating resources, and logistic attainability obtained from distributing them. Concentrating resources at the operational level - either on land or afloat (e.g., at a sea base) -enhances logistic flexibility by directing resources only to areas of need. This principle has two important benefits. First, similarly to the inventory-pooling principle in commercial supply chains, operational flexibility saves resources and enhances efficiency. Second, holding resources at a central location at the back of the AOI minimizes the logistic tail of the forward deployed SAGs, and thus reduces their signature as targets, and make them more tactically agile.

However, this flexibility comes at the cost of timeliness, because the lead time required for shipping supplies from a central theater source at the back of the theater to the DL tactical units may be long.

Attainability is manifested in pre-distribution of resources to the various consumers -the SAGs. The proximity of the logistic support units to their corresponding combat units is translates to immediate availability. While distribution of resources is obviously more “wasteful” than inventory-pooling, and it imposes a burden on the tactical combat units by increasing their logistic tail, these shortcomings are compensated with more timely logistic response.