USMC Logistics Sustainment via Cargo Unmanned Vehicles [video]

TechCon2017 (CRUSER)Presented by Capt Elle Ekman, USMC: NPS Operations ResearchIncludes slidesTo support highly maneuverable units dispersed over operational areas, Marine Corps logistics must be responsive, flexible, and sustainable. This becomes difficult with increasingly complex terrain and large areas of operation. Progressively reliable unmanned systems could reduce Marine risk and workload, and increase throughput, efficiency, and flexibility in logistics processes. No concept of operation or employment currently exists for unmanned logistics system (ULS) sustainment however, and so this research attempts to gain insight into how ULSs can be leveraged to logistically support dispersed small units. This research utilizes a discrete event simulation that models a Marine Corps logistics chain from the sea to dispersed units on the battle space. The simulation focuses on supplies moving through the unit logistic chain both in a traditional linear manner from a “higher” unit to a “lower” unit, as well as a hub-and-spoke method where a single unit predominately handles the logistics throughput. The simulation is then run using a design of experiments (DOE). The DOE varies the simulation’s input factors so that, in combination with data analytics, we can see what factors are important to a successful ULS simulation run, and thus can inform decision makers in the creation of ULS concepts of operation and employment. This research also looks at the variability that comes with real world scenarios, and attempts to categorize risk. The simulation is based on a recent scenario done by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL), and this research is concurrent with work being done by Marine Corps Installation & Logistics (I&L) as well as the Marine Corps Operations Research Directorate (OAD).NPS CRUSE