Photo By Joseph Kumzak | The Army Prepositioned Stock-5 M1224 MaxxPro mine-resistant ambush protected wheeled...... read more read more
Authors:
Lt. Col. Andrew Horn, commander, 401st AFSBn-Kuwait
Master Sgt. Christopher Jackson, senior enlisted advisor, 401st AFSBn-Kuwait
Col. Brandon Hill, commander, 401st Army Field Support Brigade
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has provided essential lessons in logistics and supply chain management, including agility, flexibility, and real-time visibility. As the Army reduces its forward troop presence globally and the primary and secondary threats remain high, modernizing Army Prepositioned Stock (APS) is crucial to keep pace with Army 2040 and maintain deterrence relevance amidst increasing global projection requirements. Leveraging new technologies such as autonomous drones, augmented reality lenses, predictive fleet management technology, and smart warehousing will help meet the demands of a future operational environment characterized by increased complexity, uncertainty, and competition.
Overview of the Pre-Positioned War Reserve Material (PWRM) Program and Historical Context of APS:
APS provides critical warfighting stocks strategically positioned afloat and ashore worldwide that contribute to an agile stance by optimizing expeditionary power projection. The Department of Defense maintains mission-essential equipment stocks worldwide as part of its global posture, driven by several Title 10 U.S.C. congressional mandates. These mandates require the Secretary of Defense to maintain a strategic pre-positioned war reserve material (PWRM) policy. While each service approaches this requirement differently, Combatant Commanders determine operational requirements based on strategic guidance (NSS/NDS/NMS).
APS represents the Army’s contribution to the PWRM program and forms one of the three legs of the Joint Strategic Mobility Triad. APS is the Army’s sole contribution to this triad, and the Army relies on other services to deploy forces forward, making APS critical for projecting combat power globally. Pre-positioning equipment worldwide reduces the initial strategic lift (air and sea) needed to support land force power projection. Historically, a CONUS-based unit relies on the Air Force to move 10% of its Unit Deployment List (UDL), with the remaining 90% transported by sea. Pre-positioned stocks reduce the strategic lift requirements (air and sea) that will undoubtedly be stressed during real-world crisis response.
APS has been utilized numerous times throughout history. Some historical operations include Desert Shield (1990-1991), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003), Operation United Assistance (APS 1/2/5) in 2014, and support for the NATO Response Force in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In its steady state, APS is one of the Army’s most significant displays of U.S. power and influence in a region. This forward presence visually demonstrates U.S. commitment and resolve in the region. The CJCSI states, “Pre-positioning provides the most practical flexibility to respond to a spectrum of regional contingencies while reducing the demand on the global transportation network.”
APS Modernization:
APS fleets are currently managed under Care of Supplies in Storage (COSIS). Outlined in TM 38-470, COSIS ensures that equipment in storage remains in ready-for-issue condition. COSIS defines how often and in what detail equipment is maintained and accounted for. Compared to traditional divisional units, APS sites using COSIS may not service equipment for 24 to 48 months, depending on whether it is stored in controlled humidity facilities or exposed to the elements.
APS sites face challenges due to the scale of operations and limited personnel. For instance, a single APS site could manage a division’s worth of equipment with only 31 assigned government employees. To increase oversight capacity and accuracy, the Army should automate as many processes as possible to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and predictability.
First, Autonomous Drones can perform visual inspections to identify exterior damage, oil leaks, and rust. By automating basic maintenance inspection tasks, the Army can increase oversight and maintenance capability, making these tasks faster and less complicated. The Air Force is exploring the use of this technology by scanning its aircraft during its maintenance phase in hopes streamlining maintenance operations, reducing the need for extensive work hours and expediting accurate fault reports. Delta Air Lines is also leveraging a similar technology and has seen their manual aircraft inspection process drop from 16 hours to 90 minutes. APS sites could similarly use autonomous drones with image recognition AI to identify issues like corrosion, delamination, flat tires, oil leaks, and headlights. Once a drone detects a problem, it can alert a human maintainer to troubleshoot it. If integrated correctly, verified faults could feed into GCSS-A automatically, or assist with trend analysis related to specific vehicles or fleet types which could inform the appropriate shop supply list (SSL) for rapid forward repair. APS sites can benefit from integrating this predictive fleet management system into current operations, drawing parallels with Amazon’s fleet management technology, this approach could improve readiness rates and direct smart maintenance. While a preventive maintenance model follows predefined time intervals, a predictive maintenance model enhanced by machine learning could use AI and real-time data analytics to incorporate condition-based maintenance. This approach could adjust maintenance tasks based on the actual condition of the equipment, potentially extending the COSIS life of specific vehicles and reducing the workload, allowing for increased maintenance on more problematic equipment. Additionally, implementing this technology would require further investment in data collection devices, including vehicle sensors, engine data, and access to maintenance logs, possibly with GCSS-A integration. Predictive analytics could then leverage historical and real-time data, advanced algorithms, and statistical models to forecast and anticipate maintenance needs or extend the COSIS life as appropriate.
Secondly, leveraging advanced Augmented Reality (AR) Technology like Microsoft HoloLens can provide inexperienced contracting officer representatives (CORs) with visual cues to address problems and allow more experienced CORs to see through the same sight picture. The Army has historically struggled to train its CORs because those responsibilities are not traditionally a part of a Service Member’s assigned military occupational specialty (MOS). Often, CORs are assigned tasks outside of their MOS expertise. By adopting technology like the HoloLens, we can enhance CORs’ ability to provide accurate and detailed oversight on unfamiliar equipment. With AR, anyone wearing the HoloLens-like goggles can approach any vehicle and receive a guided walkthrough of the proper steps to inspect and monitor. The HoloLens could also send visual feedback to a control center. When integrated into maintenance floors, this device can connect to life cycle management command (LCMC) subject matter experts, providing quick technical support on the spot and significantly reducing travel costs and delays from CONUS. The Army recently used a similar concept, “tele-maintenance,” to support Ukraine. This approach would enhance that experience beyond standard video chats, increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and readiness.
The Army should expand APS operations to include Joint Theater Additive Manufacturing capability. The most significant advantage of APS sites is the location relative to the anticipated point of need. This proximity enables faster deployment, providing the land force commander with maneuver options. However, being close to the fight could also mean increased Customer Wait Time (CWT) due to long lead times on parts in a potentially stressed supply chain. As the Army develops its additive maintenance capabilities, it should consider collocating “Theater Additive Manufacturing” sites with APS sites. This investment would reduce supply chain constraints. This capability could also support Joint and Coalition Partners in theater by increasing interoperability and external support capabilities through Army Support to other Services (ASOS). Additive manufacturing would also eliminate the need for customs processing of items shipped from CONUS, further enhancing responsiveness.
In an age where efficiency and cost reduction are paramount, the implementation of Smart Warehousing is essential. CENTCOM’s APS-5 fleet operates from 22 housing stations on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. These facilities provide a controlled environment for routine maintenance under COSIS, with scheduled assessments occurring every two years. Smart warehousing could automatically scan vehicles upon entry into a facility, with real-time data projected via intuitive interface directly with respective item managers and LCMC of that particular line-item number (LIN). This technology would also enable immediate identification of faults and provide a readiness percentile for each piece of equipment, allowing maintenance crews to prioritize based on urgency and theater demands.
In conclusion, as we look toward the year 2040 and beyond, the modernization and optimization of the Army Prepositioned Stocks fleet operations and issue processes are critical pillars in enhancing our readiness and power projection capability. To achieve integrated deterrence and posture for the Army to respond to crisis amidst increasing primary and secondary threats, the Army must leverage new technologies such as autonomous drone damage inspections, AR-enhanced COR inspections, predictive fleet maintenance, and smart warehousing modernization options. This will ensure we’re properly positioned, modernized, and ready for combat while keeping pace with current modernization efforts and transformation while in contact. Embracing cutting-edge technologies and looking at ways to dynamically “employ the force” will redefine how we maintain and distribute our vital equipment, ensuring we are always prepared to support the warfighter.
These modernization initiatives are not merely about maintaining compliance with DA standards; they represent a significant leap forward in our operational capabilities. Enhanced readiness directly translates into expedited reaction times for Land Force Combatant Commanders, enabling them to position their units with unprecedented lethality within the Joint Operations Area (JOA). Modernization equals speed of response resulting in a more ready fleet, quicker handover, and issue of equipment to the gaining tactical unit, and an enhanced ability to respond rapidly to the needs of the Land Force Component Commander. Modernization of APS is not just an option; it is a necessity.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.25.2025 05:58 |
| Story ID: | 493652 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 695 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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