RUSI Occassional Paper - Key Issues Affecting the Provision of Logistics Support to the UK Armed Forces

The logistics role during the Cold War was demanding but predictable – it was based on mass outload to a known, nearby destination and was duration-limited due to the nature of the expected warfare. The last two decades have seen a marked change in the way UK armed forces have been employed, in both location and in type of operation, and this has placed very different challenges on logistics support systems. Expeditionary operations have demanded substantial redesign and restructuring of many elements of the armed forces.

This paper considers the progress which has been made in reconfiguring the triservice logistics system to meet current demands, and examines some of the key issues that must be addressed to complete the transformation needed to satisfy the demands of present defence posture.