Army chief says logistics reform is vital

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki told service leaders Wednesday they must improve the Army's ability to quickly deploy forces and sustain troops on the battlefield, or ongoing efforts to transform the Army into a more nimble, responsive fighting force will be for naught.

"Without a transformation in logistics, there will be no transformation in the Army," Shinseki told military and defense industry leaders attending an acquisition symposium sponsored by the Association of the United States Army, a service interest group.

Shinseki's warning comes as the Bush administration weighs military options against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and highlights one of the Defense Department's greatest challenges-moving the Army's massive amounts of heavy equipment to far-flung battlefields, and then sustaining ground operations once they have begun.

During the 1990 build-up to the Persian Gulf War, it took the Army several months to deploy its heavy-armored units to Saudi Arabia from bases in Europe and the United States. Army logisticians recognize that future foes aren't likely to provide such an opportunity. In addition, U.S. allies in the Gulf War provided world-class seaports, airfields and fuel depots, none of which the Army can count on in future conflicts in the Middle East or elsewhere.

Under Shinseki's leadership, the Army recently began fielding medium-weight brigades-combat units more powerful than light infantry units and more easily deployed and sustained than heavy-armored units. While the new brigades aren't ideal-they don't carry as much firepower as existing heavy-armored units-the comparative ease of moving them is seen to be a critical asset by the Army's senior leaders, who favor the eventual replacement of the service's existing brigades with a lighter, more flexible force.

That's not to say the medium-weight brigades are easy to move. The combat vehicle used by these brigades is an awkward fit aboard an Air Force C-130, the primary aircraft used to move equipment to the battlefield. While other airlifters, such as the newer C-17 and the older C-5, are much roomier, the C-130 is the dominant lift aircraft in the Air Force's inventory.

Under Defense Department's direction, the Army is leading a study of mobility issues facing the department. While adequate sealift and airlift are essential to the Army's ability to deploy forces worldwide, the Navy and the Air Force have primary responsibility for providing that lift-a long-term source of tension among the services.