The US Air Force and counterparts from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have collaborated to enhance their combined logistics support interoperability.
The initiative focuses on prioritizing “agile and responsive” logistical and sustainment approaches while sustaining the operational readiness of each air force partner.
The project aligns with the US government’s National Defense Strategy, a periodic review of the country’s defense programs and policies to match the evolving global security environment.
“Recognizing the changing character of war means reckoning with the challenge of contested logistics,” US Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said.
“Continually improving our capability to sustain Agile Combat Employment in close coordination with our allies is a cornerstone of integrated deterrence.”
Solving ‘Shared Challenges’
In the effort, the five air forces explored logistics strategy, rapid airfield damage repair, exercises, air base defense, and combined maintenance and munitions operations.
Discussions coordinated with existing multinational programs, such as the repair and maintenance agreements for vehicles like the C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft.
“We tackled the shared challenge of contested logistics and discussed specific actions our teams are taking to remove policy obstacles, expand combined training and realize combined campaigning efforts,” US Air Force Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Tom Miller explained.
“A demonstration of this burgeoning combined logistics capability occurred during exercise Mobility Guardian 23, which included integrated maintenance support that allowed maintainers from different nations to fix one another’s aircraft and source shared parts.”
According to the US Air Force, this partnership will maintain the “unqualified strength” of logistics capabilities between the US and allied airpowers in the future.
“The resilience, agility and operational flexibility of our combined force rests on the adaptability of our joint logistics enterprise working hand-in-hand with our allies and partners.”