Analysis of Material Handling Equipment for Maritime Repositioning Ships (MPS) Instream Offload

Abstract

The Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) program enables the United States Marine Corps to globally project rapid and sustainable combat power. The instream method of offloading equipment and supplies from the Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) provides the flexibility needed to respond to a broader range of contingencies dictated by the increasingly dynamic geostrategic environment. In this paper, we develop a simulation model of an MPS instream offloading operation to provide Marine Corps commanders with a decision support tool for best allocation of material handling equipment to rapidly achieve fully operational capability ashore.