NAVPLAN 2024 calls out certain hard truths. Nothing is more obvious than the challenges posed by the scale and capabilities of the People’s Republic of China industrial base. Combined with the U.S. Navy’ s equally great challenges in creating readiness in an era of budgetary constraints, the U.S. Navy’s strategic outlook remains complicated. What is clear, however, is that for the foreseeable future, the U.S. Navy should not anticipate being an overwhelming mass at sea.
This does not mean the U.S. will cede sea control in the Western Pacific. Rather, it means that while the U.S. seeks to recapitalize the fleet through investment in new platforms and expanded capabilities, maximizing the effectiveness of existing assets becomes crucial. Improving domain awareness enhances the effectiveness of U.S. forces, and as the Navigation Plan notes, Maritime Operations Centers (MOC) make this possible. However, improved information management and coordination must occur at all echelons, from combatant commands through to the numbered Fleets.
It must also account for logistics; for successful logistics makes combat power a given. The Navy supply community plays a key role in achieving this, especially the Reserve Component (RC) Supply Corps. The RC typically accounts for more than 50% of the Navy’s overall Maritime Operations Center and Logistics Readiness Center (LRC) personnel and represents a key reservoir of Operational Level of War (OLW) knowledge.
This expertise was on full display during Pacific Sentry (PAC SENTRY) 25, with multiple Navy Reserve Augment Units contributing at all levels of the exercise, from the INDOPACOM J4 to the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) LRC through individual Fleet Logistics Centers.
Cmdr. Cara Howes, a Navy Reservist from Seattle, exemplifies the level of OLW knowledge and expertise RC sailors bring to bear in coordinating theater-level logistics. Currently assigned to INDOPACOM J4 with prior experience in the Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F) Maritime Operations Center (MOC).
“I’ve seen firsthand how the Reserve and active forces – especially the Reserve Supply Corps – seamlessly integrate to execute strategic plans and sustainment operations,” said Cmdr. Howes while reinforcing her team stands ready to fight tonight when called upon. “Our forces have the expertise, professionalism and readiness to respond effectively to any challenge.”
However, additional work remains. Specifically, improved NAVSUP integration into theater-level planning to ensure the best coordination between the Navy’s logistic enterprise and operating forces remains an ongoing task. Reflecting the Chief of Supply Corps' NAVSUP readiness initiatives, PAC SENTRY 25 included the largest NAVSUP participation in a PAC SENTRY exercise to date. Specifically, for the first time NAVSUP Liaison Officers – many of whom are RC officers – supported the COMPACFLT Logistics Readiness Center, while further afield the NAVSUP Logistics Operations Center, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, as well as NAVSUP FLCs Yokosuka, Pearl Harbor, Puget Sound and San Diego practiced coordination and integration of NAVSUP into theater-level logistics. The latter efforts provided a key test of how various elements of the NAVSUP Enterprise can support distributed maritime operations at a global scale, all of which is in keeping with both the NAVPLAN 2024 and the Chief of Supply Corps' emphasis on warfighting readiness.
More and improved training is also needed. To that end, the Navy Supply Corps School (NSCS) recently transformed the existing Introduction to Expeditionary Logistics course into Introduction to Maritime Logistics Planning course. Intended for both active component and RC officers, the Introduction to Maritime Logistics Planning course provides a logistics-oriented primer to the Navy planning process for officers who may not yet have had the opportunity to participate in either the Maritime Staff Headquarters Course (MSHC) or Maritime Staff Officers Course (MSOC) and reflects the supply community’s commitment to deepening the Navy’s logistics-related OLW expertise.
The NSCS is not alone in these efforts. In recognition of the unique role RC officers play in staffing MOCs and LRCs, the Naval War College recently established a hybrid version of MSOC tailored specifically to RC officers assigned to OLW billets who have completed the online MSHC course.
Through staffing, exercising and training, the supply community clearly supports and furthers the Navy’s comprehensive commitment to “fighting from the MOC” and meeting future readiness challenges head on.
Additional Reading/References:
