Bulk Fuel Delivery in Support of Expeditionary Advance Base Operations

Abstract

Project Summary: This research sought to explore ship-to-shore bulk fuel delivery solutions for Marine Corps distributed forward expeditionary base operations in littoral regions with heavy Anti Access/Area Denial (A2AD) considerations. The primary focus areas of this study consisted of creating a systems engineering approach to evaluate an amphibious fuel delivery system’s ability to meet bulk fuel needs, and a computer model to evaluate how such a system would interact with the combat logistics fleet and supporting naval units. The researchers were unable to find reliable estimates for campaign-level fuel needs for distributed amphibious operations, and current doctrine on amphibious fuel distribution predates current operating paradigms and emerging A2AD threats by near peer adversaries. To address this lack of data on estimated fuel demand and growing threats to logistical assurance, secondary efforts in this study sought to explore bulk fuel needs through base resiliency studies and a wargame intended to explore how operational planners ashore respond to anticipated disruptions in amphibious fuel deliveries. These secondary efforts were intended to establish a minimum acceptable distribution capacity. The research team is unable to propose formal specifications for an amphibious bulk fuel delivery system at this time, but the products of this study should help inform future efforts to evaluate the suitability of proposed amphibious bulk fuel solutions. The systems engineering analysis of the amphibious fuel transfer problem should help inform the future design or fielding of fuel transfer mechanisms, while the improved logistics model can provide insights into the Navy’s ability to support such a system.