Military Logistics Vol9 #3

8/10/2019 Military Logistics Vol9 #3

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On the front lineCombat engineers at close quarters

TAKINGCOVERTent developments

CAPABILITYPACKAGESNATO support services

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TIME TORECHARGEField power

Volume 9 Number 3Autumn 2014


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4 NEWS

5 GROUND CLEARANCE Combat engineer units are faced with the dual

pressures of nancial cutbacks and expeditionarydeployments, nds Stephen Miller.

9 CARRY ON CAMPING Tented facilities and products are employing new

technologies, reports Claire Apthorp.

3Volume 9 Number 3 | Autumn 2014 | MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

EDITORIAL COMMENT AND CONTENTS

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Front cover: A Stryker engineer platoon duringExercise Orient Shield 12 , which was designedto enhance interoperability between US and Japanese units. (Photo: US DoD)

Editor

Tim Fish

[email protected]

North America Editor

Scott R Gourley

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Tel: +1 (707) 822 7204

European Editor

Ian Kemp

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Contributors

Claire Apthorp, Angus Batey,

Mike Bryant, Peter Donaldson,

Liza Helps, Stephen Miller

Production Manager

David Hurst

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Sub-editor

Adam Wakeling

Advertising Sales Executive

Brian Millan

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Tel: +44 (0)1753 727005

Editor-in-Chief

Tony Skinner

Managing Director

Darren Lake

Chairman

Nick Prest

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12 THE PRICE OF FUEL With the nite lifespan and premium cost of fossil fuels,

militaries are looking for alternatives. Liza Helps looksat how industry is helping drive innovation in this area.

15 IN CONTROL The NATO Support Agency is changing and widening

its capabilities. Tim Fish talks to Steve Bernett, directorof logistics operations, who is retiring after a four-and-a-half-year tenure, about where NSPA is heading.

W here South Africa faces its greatest challengeis in the field of air transport. The SouthAfrican Air Force (SAAF) has a wide mix of ageingaircraft, and the older they get, the less flying hoursthey can offer and the more costly the maintenance.

The extent of the problem was highlighted in2012 when apparently the SAAF could only provideabout 50 flying hours for each of its fighter pilots andmost of its aircraft were not in service.

The actual condition of the transport wing canonly be guessed at, but with the cancellation ofthe planned procurement of the A400M underProject Continental in 2009 the SAAF cannot providethe airlift it needs if South Africa wants to participatein security operations on the continent or supportemergency engagements.

There is a requirement for about 44 transportaircraft, but no decision has been taken to find analternative to the A400M purchase.

The workhorse that provides the SAAFs existingairlift capability is the C-130BZ Hercules, with nineaircraft based at Waterkloof, which were procured in1963. Instead of replacing them, there are plans to

SETTING PRIORITIESextend their lifespan until 2020 or even 2030, whichwould require an engine overhaul.

A life extension programme might allow theSAAF to replace its seven Douglas C-47TP TurboDakota medium transport aircraft and three C212s witheight similar aircraft, perhaps Alenia C-27J Spartans orAirbus Military C295s.

However, the SAAF also has 11 Cessna 208 Caravanaircraft and four King Airs that will need to be replaced.

The need for adequate military airlifters wasbrought sharply into focus in March 2013 whenSouth African troops were attacked by Seleka rebelsduring operations in Bangui in the Central AfricanRepublic. Reinforcements were prepared to go andsupport the South African contingent, but thechartered Ilyushin Il-76 and Antonov An-124 aircraftproved unreliable due to being unavailable atshort notice, or it was too risky an environment forcommercial aircraft.

If this is not a wakeup call, then what is? The SAAFneeds to make public its requirements for transportaircraft and make them a procurement priority.Tim Fish, Editor

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SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT

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O f the several combat engineer missions,assuring the mobility of frontline andsupport forces may be the most important.

Today, combat engineers face two majorchallenges. First, like most forces, they areexperiencing budget and manpower cuts.Secondly, there is the recognition that their mostlikely missions require them to deploy outsidetheir home countries. Developing and fieldingengineer systems that have multiple capabilities,require fewer personnel to operate and can beeasily airlifted are key drivers to meeting thesechallenges.

Maintaining force mobility falls largely withinthree areas of combat engineer expertise:mobile and assault gap-crossing (particularlybridging); earthmoving; and route and obstacleclearance. Associated tasks include: preparingapproaches for bridging, bridge positioningand mine and explosive detection andneutralisation. Demands for increasedcrew protection, greater operatingspeeds and airlift capability havemade drawing on commercialconstruction designs a majorsource for military engineerequipment more difficult.

The US Armys 2010 purchase of CaseConstruction Equipments (CCEs) M400Wskid steer and M400T compact loaders is acase in point. Pat Hunt, director of strategicaccounts at CCE, said that the field reception ofthese systems, which are modified versions ofcommercial models, has been excellentand that the machines have met every keyarmy criteria, with almost 2,300 units fieldedto date.

Still, as commercial machines do not have thehigh road speeds needed by the military, thetactical mobility of the M400 is limited, at least

until a new, more capable trailer is procured. TheUS Army has recognised this and is working onthe issue.

GAP FILLERSMilitary bridges differ from their civilcounterparts in that they must be moved toa site and emplaced to cross gaps andwatercourses in minutes rather than days orweeks. Combat bridges themselves fall into twocategories assault and support. The formerhave generally focused on moderate (20-30m)gap-crossing for armoured units. Thus, mostbridges are mounted on and launched from amodified MBT chassis.

The US Army fielded its new M1A2-basedM104 Wolverine Heavy Assault Bridge in

2003. Development was a joint effortbetween General Dynamics Land

Systems and Germanys MANMobile Bridges, now part of

K r a u s s - M a f f e iWegmann (KMW).

GROUNDCLEARANCE

Like many branches of the military, combatengineer units are faced with the dual pressuresof financial cutbacks and expeditionarydeployments. Stephen Miller looks at thevehicles available to help them in their multi-faceted task of keeping an army on the move.

The M60A1 armoured vehicle landing bridge has been in US service since 1967, and the US

Army is putting the system on the newer M1 Abrams tank chassis. (Photo: US DoD)


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Drawing on the KMW Leguan bridge system,the M104 can emplace its 26m MLC70 (MilitaryLoad Classification 70t) bridge in five minutesand recover it in ten without the crew leavingthe vehicle. The US requirement was for 465systems, although only 44 have been delivereddue to budget constraints, leaving a serious gap-crossing deficit in US armoured units.

Recognising this, the army has been pursuinga programme taking the bridge elementsfrom M60 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge(AVLB) chassis and using them on M1 AbramsMBTs with a newly developed launcher. With

minor modifications, the current 20m MLC60bridge element is able to provide MLC80 loadsat 18m reach. Named the Joint Assault Bridge(JAB), it is based on an earlier USMC effort andwill not only allow use of the inventory of AVLBbridges but could provide multiple bridges foreach launcher.

Technical testing has validated the JABscapabilities, and a launcher developmentprogramme using surplus M1s is anticipated. JimRowan, deputy commandant of the US ArmyEngineer School, said: The army sees this as apriority programme with low technical risk with

high benefit-to-cost. We see a strong case foraccelerating the programme.

The number of systems involved is not yetclear due to force restructuring, but based onfielding to combat engineer companies inarmoured units, it could easily amount to 300launchers and 400+ modified bridges.

POPULAR CHOICEKMWs Leguan Modular Bridging System hasbeen a popular choice for armies and the basisfor other combat bridging products. It isemployed not only on a range of tank chassisbut also in truck-launched variants. It is a fullyautomated horizontal laying system thatmaintains a low profile. The MLC80 load capacityaccepts the heaviest tracked and wheeledvehicles. It is used in 14 countries, includingBelgium, Chile, Finland, Greece, Malaysia, theNetherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain and Turkey on six different platforms.

The truck-launched bridge is an example ofsupport bridging. It differs from the assaultbridge, which is intended to be emplaced whileunder enemy direct fires. Support bridges aregenerally left in place once installed for traffic,unlike assault bridges which accompany thecombat force.

Support bridges are often more adaptableand capable of greater spans. In addition, bynature and design they are easily moved onroads, and therefore suitable for rapidlyreplacing bridges lost in natural disasters. TheKMW Leguan on a Sisu 8x8 or 10x10 truck is aclassic support bridge. In this configuration it iscapable of emplacing either one 26m or two14m spans.

Another example is WFELs Dry SupportBridge (DSB) or M18. The DSB crosses up to a46m gap in less than 90 minutes using a crew ofeight and a single-beam launcher truck like theUS Armys Oshkosh M1075 10x10. Folded bridgesections are transported on accompanyingtrucks and trailers. A 40m bridge set consists of alauncher, two section transport trucks and threetransport trailers for launch beams, 4.3x6mbridge sections and entry/exit ramps.

First prototyped in 2002, the Assault Breacher Vehicle, also known as the Shredder, was inoperation in 2008 and saw action in Afghanistan. (Photo: US DoD)

Some 60 Terrier combat engineer vehicles are being built for the British Army Royal Engineers aspart of a 386 million contract with BAE Systems. (Photo: UK MoD)



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The crew of two is protected from mines by adouble hull. The baseline small arms and indirectfire protection can be increased with add-onarmour. Terrier is unique in that it can beremotely operated from up to 1km away. A BAEspokesperson told MLI : Terrier incorporates thelessons learned by the Royal Engineers to meetfuture operations. It is the most advancedengineer system in British Army service. Terrierfielding is on schedule and all 60 vehicles will bedelivered in 2014. Terrier could be a primecandidate for replacing the US Army and USMCsUniversal Engineer Tractor.

The BAE platform joins a line of specialisedcombat engineer vehicles, including the GermanKodiak and Dachs (based on the Leopard tank),the Grizzly Combat Mobility Vehicle designedfor the US Army but cancelled in 2001, and arange of systems based on Russian MBTs. Thesegenerally have in common a front dozer blade(exchangeable with a mine clearance plough orrollers) and a digging arm. At best they have amachine gun for self-defence, although remoteweapon stations have begun to be fitted. Simplesystems like FN Herstals deFNder and BAESystems Land Systems South Africas SD-ROWcan be used for this type of application.

GOING OFF-ROADDespite the increased cross-country capabilitiesof vehicle suspensions, motorised militaryoperations remain largely dependent onexisting roads and traditional routes. This is oftena factor of local geography, and follow-onlogistics must use roads to be efficient. Threatsto maintaining routes include natural andman-made obstacles, such as mines andIEDs, which have become a critical concern formilitary forces.

The mine plough and roller, first introduced inWorld War II, have been refined and theiradaptability expanded from MBTs to lightwheeled and tracked armoured vehicles, theMRAP and even tactical trucks.

In addition to mine clearance kits whichmount on a host vehicle, a number of dedicatedplatforms have been developed and fielded

for this task. The Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV)was first developed to a USMC operationalrequirement. Also known as the Shredder, it isbased on the M1A1 MBT chassis, with the turretreplaced by a new structure. First prototyped in2002, it was in operation in 2008 and saw actionin Afghanistan. The marines ordered 45 systems,with the US Army later ordering 187 more, ofwhich 50% are now fielded.

Rapid development was facilitated by usingproven subsystems, while full-width and surfacemine ploughs, dozer blades, ordnance removaland lane marking systems were acquired off theshelf from Pearson Engineering. The ABV is alsofitted with two launchers in the aft compartmentfor rockets which trail explosive line charges upto 150m forward that when detonated clearmines or IEDs. The plough then clears anyremaining ordnance in its path.

Mine and IED detection has attracted majorattention, especially from US and NATO forces inIraq and Afghanistan, and much work continuesto be pursued on this area. The new focus is onways to detect and neutralise such threats at

greater distances from the force. Executingclearance missions more rapidly is another goal,as IEDs have often accomplished their task evenif all they do is delay or disrupt force movement. There is no question that the IED will continue tobe a primary concern in combat, stability andsecurity operations and that combat engineerswill be the forefront of anti-IED efforts.

UNDER PRESSUREDespite budget pressures, the need to maintainand advance the capabilities of combatengineers remains paramount. Increased use ofmilitary forces in MOOTW actually increases theneed for the tasks engineers execute. It is likelythat, at least in the near term, new ground-updevelopments like Terrier may become lesscommon, and greater emphasis may be given toimproving or modifying existing equipment, aswith the US AVLB project, or adapting andadding engineer capabilities to existing vehicles. The challenge will be in simultaneouslyaccommodating the new demands of deployedand MOOTW operations. MLI

Terrier incorporates thelessons learned by theRoyal Engineers to meetfuture operations.

Over 100 DSB systems from WFEL will be deployed over the next ten years. It has a military load

classification of 120 at 46m . (Photo: WFEL)


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As the drawdown in Afghanistan entersits final stages, requirements for tented

facilities are changing, as are the technologiesand products now available on the market.

Its fair to say that the UK military is far behindunderstanding what is out there in terms of thetechnology, Matt Williams, managing directorof Brigantes Consultancy, told Military LogisticsInternational . Now, there is much betterequipment available than what is being used,so its important that we are able to havediscussions with them about what they needand show them whats possible.

The overwhelming requirement is to reducethe burden on the soldier. This pressure toreduce weight is real, Williams explained,because the days of a soldier stepping out of apatrol base carrying 75kg in gear have got togo its not operationally sound. But you cannotlose weight at the expense of reliability orfunctionality its still got to do the job.

CIVIL CROSSOVER

In many cases, Afghan operations have slowedthe uptake of new technology simply becausein large, long-standing bases there has beenno need for the level of functionality being

driven forward in the commercial world. Nowthat the operational focus is shifting, companieslike Hilleberg, where Williams was previously asales manager, are keen to show what theycan do with civilian designs adapted to meetmilitary requirements.

Around three years ago, Hilleberg started bydelivering its three-man Keron 3 GT MIL tent aversion of its original militarised tent with light-blocking and IR-reflective outer fabric to RoyalMarine mountain leaders as an improvement onthe in-service Arctic tents.

They trialled the tents and it was a massivedifference and a huge step forward in capabilityover the Arctic tents they were using, continuedWilliams. It got the weight down from 12kgto 5kg, using high-grade alloy poles ratherthan easily breakable fibreglass, and givesusers more workable space, which is vital inthe Arctic you need to cook and store yourkit inside, and the extra space helps maintainoperational effectiveness.

Hilleberg has also had interest from the Britishmilitary for its Staika MIL two-man tent, whichcan be dug into snow and used sub-surface,providing a sustainable environment for long-term observation posts. The UK is also looking at

the Stalon XL MIL, a large, modular tunnel tentthat can be used as a medical station, commandpost, staging/briefing room or field barracks, as areplacement for the current ten-man tent.

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

These solutions are representative of the movetowards flexibility in times of contingencyoperations. It is unlikely that a large amount ofstatic or semi-permanent accommodation willbe required in the same way as was needed inAfghanistan. From 2002, British forces in Iraqand Afghanistan were housed in TemporaryDeployable Accommodations (TDAs), builtand managed under a contract between the UKMoD and KBR.

CARRY ONCAMPING

Inflatable tents, such as the HTS structuresseen here, do not have metal poles and soallow for easier transportation. (Photos: HTS)

Typically light, flexible and

multi-functional, tented facilitieshave been widely deployedon battlefields over the years.Claire Apthorp explores thelatest advances in the market inlight of changing requirementspost-Afghanistan.

INFRASTRUCTURE



INFRASTRUCTURE

The companys responsibilities included theprovision, construction and support of purpose-built tented facilities for more than 7,000 troops.In 2009, to replenish stock sold to US forceswhen the UK withdrew its troops from Iraq,KBR was awarded a further contract for theprocurement of four 600-man camps, known ascamps 603, 604, 605 and 606.

The contract, issued in October, called forthe first camp to be delivered by the end ofDecember, with an additional one every monthuntil March. Each would incorporate tents andshelters for accommodation, offices, diningand catering, workshops, a gym, a water storageand distribution system, a wastewater collectionand treatment system, power generation anddistribution, and fuel storage.

SOUTHERN SHELTERS

Meanwhile, South Africas Canvas and Tent wascontracted to supply its Centurion shelters foraccommodation requirements and its Gladiatorshelters for recreational requirements gyms,workshops, warehouses and gathering halls.

Both Centurion and Gladiator are barrel-framed structures with a waterproof, fire-retardant, UV-stabilised PVC barrel coverdesigned to provide insulation against extremetemperatures. The Centurion 20x26ft shelter canbe deployed in various configurations, includingaccommodation, dining, recreational andcommunication facilities, as well as kitchens,ablution units, gymnasia, hospitals and offices.Each tent is boxed and crated for delivery, with a20ft ISO container able to hold ten systems forstorage or delivery.

Sharon OMant, sales and marketing managerat Canvas and Tent, told MLI that the company isfocused on delivering turnkey solutions tailoredto meet the requirements of each customer,which include numerous militaries in Africa, suchas the South African defence forces.

Our products are highly ruggedised andgeared for use in high heat and arid areas

thanks to the laminate component in the PVC,she said. They are also long-lasting with theright maintenance they can last up to 10-12years. In general, they dont require a lot ofmaintenance, and we have teams we sendout to provide a maintenance service for thecustomer if required.

With the drawdown of British troopsfrom Afghanistan winding up, some of theequipment supplied by Canvas and Tents hasbeen sold, while the rest is in storage.

LIGHTER LOADS

Reducing weight is a key requirement acrossthe market, and tent manufacturers worldwideare coming up with increasingly ingeniousways to meet this demand while retainingfunctionality. One area that is seeing significantexpansion is the availability of inflatable tents.

Losberger, for example, has a large numberof inflatable systems in its range, including the TAG NG tent, which can be carried by handand made ready in less than five minutes usingan electric inflator. The tents can be used onany type of terrain for emergency care,command posts and shelters, among otherapplications. The company also offers inflatableCBRN tents with a sealed NBC liner and anentrance fitted with an over-pressurisedairlock that can protect inhabitants againsttoxic chemicals.

Gumotex Rescue Systems supplies its rangeof rapidly deployable inflatable tents to rescueteams, including the military. They are designedfor long- and short-term use in operationsrequiring immediate housing of people andequipment. The company has delivered largenumbers of its systems to the Czech Republic, aswell as fire brigades, police and emergencymedical services in countries worldwide.

The tents can be inflated in between threeand ten minutes following connection to an airvalve. Each system consists of the inflatablestructure, a cover made from strong PVC-coated

fabric and a floor that is either fixed to the roofor removable.

The tent entrance is equipped with zipfasteners and ground peg fastening flaps areevenly distributed along the floor perimeter,with guy ropes on support arches ensuring theshelter remains stable in all weather conditions.In areas where the ground surface does notallow the use of pegs, the tent may be anchoredby sand or water-filled bags placed on fasteningflaps. Straps for devices, lamps and otheraccessories are attached to the support arches ofthe inflatable structure inside the shelter.

To create a field hospital or other largespace, several tents can be connected with eachother into a bigger interconnected complex. They can also be equipped with a removablehygiene or isolating liner, with lengthwise orcrosswise partition curtains to divide the innerspace, as well as windows consisting of a filmand mesh.

EASE OF DEPLOYMENT

Pavel Polak, sales manager at Gumotex, told MLI :The main advantage of inflatable tents formilitary users and other rescue organisations isthat all these components are packed into onetransportation bag. In areas where you cannotdeliver a large metal shelter structure whichtakes up a lot of space and requires a lot ofdevices to deliver the equipment this simplyneeds to be connected to the air source andblown up in minutes.

Polak added that the structure is hyper-flexible and the characteristics of the PVC-coated cover make the material suitable forextreme environments with better chemicaland temperature resistance.

HTS also offers inflatable tents that use a low-or high-pressure beam system. Each tent archis inflated separately, so that if one is damagedthe tent can still be inflated and used. Thesystems main structure is made from heavy-duty PVC material, which is able to be

Centurion barrel-frame structures are designed to cope with theharsh conditions of the African bush. (Photo: Canvas and Tent)


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INFRASTRUCTURE

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winterised with an outer frame suitable forhigh winds and snow loads.

In addition to hangar and maintenance tents,which can be packed into a 20ft container orsteel rack along with all the set-up manualsand working tools designed for handling byuntrained soldiers for quick deployment, HTSalso supplies multipurpose tents made of high-quality aluminium that are commonly used asdining or mess tents.

HTS was the first company to patent anew-profile material called carbon-fibrealloy, a carbon hybrid system, for the mainframe components.

David Pena Roig, regional manager of HTS,told MLI : Traditionally in the tent industry,

manufacturers used steel for the tent frames,which then moved to aluminium, as it is flexible,light and easy to set up. Our carbon hybridsystem reduces the weight of the uprights andrafters by up to 45%, while the carbon alloystructure is stronger, enabling fewer uprightsto support the same sized structure thatuses aluminium.

SHORTER TRAIL

The need for fewer frames results in lowercosts and a shorter logistics trail, with improvedloading capacity for aircraft transportation intoremote areas.

The new profile can also be lifted by hand,reducing the need for heavy support equipment

to build the structures, Roig added. This is aparticular advantage in areas where the user hasno access to cranes, resulting in a lighter burdenon the deployed force.

The companys research into the carbonhybrid system began five years ago, with thefinal product delivered to the market in 2012. The company is now delivering the resultingsystem worldwide.

Military users are almost spoilt for choicewhen it comes to selecting new and improvedtenting solutions. The market is thriving andrich with options to meet the spectrum ofoperational requirements, with more light,flexible and rapidly deployable options thanever before. MLI

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POWER GENERATION

S ince 2001, more than 3,000 US soldiersand contractors have lost their lives orwere wounded during attacks on fuel and watersupply convoys in Afghanistan and Iraq, DoDfigures state.

However, a 10% reduction in fuelconsumption over five years could lead to 35fewer fuel-related resupply casualties over thesame period, according to research by Deloittepublished in 2009. As yet, no figures for fueland water convoy-related casualties have beenmade available for the time period 2009-2014.

It had previously been calculated that forevery 24 fuel convoys, there was one casualty in 2007, for example, there were 6,030 fuelconvoys carried out by the US in Iraq andAfghanistan alone. This led to the introduction ofa new bill put before the Senate this year, theDepartment of Defense Energy Security Act of2014, which aims to help military operationsbecome more energy-efficient and rely less onfossil fuels.

The goal is to not only save money within thePentagons budget, but reduce the need for fuelconvoys and ultimately troops exposure to harm.

The US DoD is currently the worlds singlelargest consumer of fuel, requiring about90 million barrels of oil, at a cost of nearly

$15 billion per year 75% of that isused by operational forces, and this isprojected to increase 11% by 2025.

WORKING TOGETHERIt is not just the US that is taking fuel efficiencyseriously while also looking at smart energy.In 2012, NATO set up a task force to identify themost promising energy-saving solutions andinitiate multinational projects to make these worktogether easily. It also looked at possibilities formainstreaming smart energy into the alliancespolicy and standardisation documents.

The Smart Energy Team (SENT) was set up aftera summit in May 2012 and financed throughthe NATO Science for Peace and Securityprogramme. It is jointly directed by the Lithuania-based NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellenceand the Joint Environmental Department of theSwedish Armed Forces. It comprises expertsfrom eight nations, including six allies (Canada,Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the UK andthe US) and two partners (Australia and Sweden).

We are trying to make soldiers andcommanders understand that saving energyhas a direct effect on soldiers lives andsecurity, Susanne Michaelis, smart energy actionofficer at NATO HQ, toldMilitary Logistics

We are trying to makesoldiers and commandersunderstand that savingenergy has a direct effecton soldiers lives.

With the finite lifespan and premium cost of fossil fuels, militariesare looking for alternatives to current methods of powering theirbases and in-theatre equipment. Liza Helps examines howindustry is helping drive innovation in this area.

THE PRICEOF FUE L

International . It frees up capabilities forNATOs core mission that are currently divertedfor protecting fuel convoys.

She added that SENT was looking atstandardisation agreements across NATO onsmart energy that should include the installationof smart meters in existing camps; a commondesign of microgrids for future camps;the training and engagement of experts;common training included in the generalmilitary curriculum; and a recognition schemeto reward officers who succeed in reducing fuelconsumption.

FULLY BURDENED

Both the US military and NATO have adoptedthe fully burdened cost of fuel (FBCF) calculationthat considers all operational factors in theenergy supply chain, including transportation,infrastructure, manpower, maintenance, securityprotection and storage of energy.

Therefore, one gallon of fuel that might costup to $3.50 at the pump in the US (77c/litre)


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New-technology batteries (left) and smarteruse of assets such as portable generators(above) are contributing to energyefficiency. (Photos: Lincad/US DoD)

could reach over $100 a gallon ($22/l) oncedelivered to frontline troops in northeastAfghanistan due to its logistics trail.

On these calculations, alternative energysources and smart energy solutions, whichmight not be financially viable in a domesticsetting due to their high initial capital outlay,become increasingly feasible on the battlefield.

Doug Moorhead, president of Earl Energy,told MLI : Frankly, when it starts to get to $15 agallon, a lot of new technology makes sense.

Indeed, a combined solar power generationand backup battery storage system, whileuneconomic at home, is invaluable oncedeployed when factoring in the FBCF.

The Royal Netherlands Army demonstrateda tent covered in solar cells at NATOs ExerciseCapable Logistician 2013 in Slovakia in June 2013.The service has already installed 480m of solarpanels at Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, currentlyproducing 200kWh. According to army energyexpert Lt Col Harm Renes, the investment hasalready paid off.

TAPPING INTO TRENDSThe US DoD holds an annual Defense EnergyTechnology Challenge (DETC) in order to tapinto the latest smart energy trends and selectthose that could be brought forward to assist themilitary in significantly reducing its dependenceon fossil fuels. The Pentagon has allocated$9 billion for energy efficiency programmesbetween 2013 and 2017.

In November last year, Sierra Energy wasselected as one of the winners of the 2013DETC as part of the annual Defense EnergySummit in Austin, Texas, with its FastOx wastegasification system.

Mike Hart, president of Sierra Energy,told MLI : The American military has adirectorate to eliminate waste and significantlyreduce their dependence of fossil fuelbecause it makes them strategically vulnerable.The decision to be able to generate itsown power has far-reaching consequences,including increased security, independenceand environmental sustainability.

Our technology that takes garbage andturns it into fuel was identified in 2009 forinclusion in the DoDs renewable testing centre.In some cases, with 10t of garbage we canproduce about 500kW of continuous round-the-clock electricity.

NON-LEACHING SLAG

The technology sees injections of oxygenand steam, heating waste to 2,200C (withoutburning), allowing any material to be used aslong as it contains carbon. Any residual metal,ash or inorganic solids are melted down into aliquid which pours out the bottom, allowingrecovery of metals. The rest comes out as a non-leaching slag, which can be used as road parings.The two gases produced (70% carbon monoxideand 30% hydrogen) go into a fuel cell whoseonly emissions are heat and water.

Its a modular system that can be droppedinto any area, and it can be turned down by asmuch as 90%, noted Hart. At present, the systemis being designed so that it can be packed up

POWER GENERATION



POWER GENERATION

into half a dozen or so ISO containers for quickand easy deployment.

Fuel cell technology appears to be a favouredoption for replacing diesel generators in the field,particularly for smaller units. The FraunhoferInstitute for Chemical Technology in Pfinztal,Germany, is developing a portable hydrogenfuel cell for the German Armed Forces thatgenerates 2kW of electricity. The system usessolar energy to split water into oxygen andhydrogen, which is a silent process.

However, for all the interest in alternativefuel systems and the increased use of renewableenergy, Chris Andrews, project manager atAustralian independent power generationcompany Eniquest, commented: Our experiencewith the military market is that, with currenttechnology, the need for mobility, easytransportation, quick set-up, simplicity,ruggedness and predictability of supply overridesthe value of reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Eniquest supplies the ADF with a range ofAC and DC low-noise generator and powerdistribution units, and Andrews noted:Improvements in technology, especially energystorage/battery technology that can competewith the energy density of fossil fuel, will becritical to moving away from fossil fuel use inmilitary applications.

NEAR-TERM GOALS

While the medium- and long-term focus may beon moving towards a zero fossil fuel reliance, theshort-term goal is to significantly reduce theiruse through a variety of methods.

One approach is to increase the efficiencyof generators already in-theatre. Earl Energyrecently secured a contract with the DoD underthe Mobile Electric Hybrid Power Systems(MEHPS) programme that could lead topurchase of around 50 FlexGen units. Thesystems technology was adopted early by theUSMC, which saw a 6kW prototype in actionin 2010 that was claimed to reduce fuelconsumption on the battlefield by over 80%.

It was a reflection of how inefficient battlefieldproduction of power is even in this day and age

with all the technology we have, said Moorhead.Power systems are sized for a peak powersupport because there is never a time when themilitary cannot have power available to supporttheir operations, and so unfortunately for anasset such as a generator in this operatingenvironment they are working 24/7, 365 daysa year, whether the power is needed or not itslike having a car you can never turn off evenwhen you are not using it.

The FlexGen hybrid system uses anautomated diesel generator with stop-startcapability combined with renewable powersources and a large energy storage device. Thegenerator is run at full capacity, and when thereis excess power, it charges the batteries. If thebatteries have enough stored energy to meetthe demand for electricity, then the generatorshuts off. In tests in Afghanistan, the systemallowed the generators to run three to six hoursa day, with average fuel savings of over 50%.

Earl Energy is now a prime contract holder withthe USMC, and is developing a next-generationmarine-portable 10kW power system. Thecompany has sold 12 in a prototype environment,and new contracts foresee the acquisition of up to50 FlexGen systems in the future.

POWERING FORWARD

The UK MoD has an intelligent power storageand management system known as Power FOBthat allows the incorporation of renewablesources and energy-saving technologies. Thesystem can save up to 30% of fuel by storingthe electricity produced by diesel generators andsolar panels and redistributing it when andwhere required.

All of these technologies rely on advancedbattery solutions for storage, and it is at thislevel that renewable energy can become trulydeployable.

Moorhead added: The daily kWh requirementof a soldier is ever increasing as they carry moreelectrical-based systems than ever before.Compared to 15 years ago, the soldier of todayrequires ten times the power.

British company Lincad produces a rangeof Lithium Ion Power Source (LIPS) intelligenbatteries. Its LIPS 5 model has been one of thecompanys most successful, with over 17,500supplied to the UK MoD and other customersworldwide. Operations manager PeterCopplestone told MLI : The first LIPS batterycame out in 2000, weighed approximately 3.5kgand had a capacity of 12Ah. The latest, LIPS 10weighs the same, but has a capacity of 23Ah,drastically reducing the soldier burden.

As well as supplying durable rechargeablebatteries, Lincad also produces a range ofchargers. Systems engineer Mike Hendey toldMLI : One of the big pushes of recent years issolar charging, hence Lincads Solar Charger andPower Scavenger solutions. There has also beena requirement for mobile charging from vehicleson the move. Vehicles already produce powerfrom their alternators, and Lincads DC VehicleCharger takes advantage of this. These chargersmean that users do not need to carry asmany batteries.

With soldiers carrying up to 10kg of batteriesthat need to be recharged, higher capacitybatteries and flexible charging solutions mitigatethe necessity to return to base, which wouldotherwise limit operations.MLI

In tests in Afghanistan, the Earl EnergyFlexGen system allowed the generatorsto run three to six hours a day, instead ofround the clock as before. (Photo: Earl Energy)


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DEPTH FORWARD

www. mil-log .com Volume 9 Number 3 | Autumn 2014 | MILITARY LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL

T he NSPA took over the responsibilitiesof the NATO Maintenance and SupplyAgency (NAMSA), the Central Europe PipelineManagement Agency and the NATO AirliftManagement Agency (NAMA) in 2012, andBernett has seen the development of theseorganisations first hand.

We are much more operationally focused nowthan in the past 50 years as NAMSA, he said. It hasbeen a fast-moving and changing environmentsince I got here and has been evolving since ourengagement in Afghanistan in 2006.

NSPA has about 40 personnel deployedin-theatre to manage support contracts,primarily in Kandahar and the Kabul airport(KAIA) area, and as a result of the change inmission with ISAF operations finishing at theend of the year the agency is involved in theplanning process for a transition to the resolutesupport mission (RSM) once the status of forcesagreement (SOFA) is signed by Afghanistan.

RESOLUTE DECISIONS

A tremendous challenge has been the lack ofdecision as far as whether there will be an RSM ornot, and that is dependent on the new presidentsigning a SOFA, Bernett continued. However,we have to start planning for that and have beendoing so since a year ago.

Plans for RSM will mean downsizing in someareas, but expanding elsewhere. We do see anexpanded role for us at different locations, but ata reduced level, he said, adding that there willbe lower levels of activity at KAIA and in Kandahar. There are also discussions with Germany aboutexpanding services to Mazar-e-Sharif andpotentially a plan for services that can be providedto forces in Herat.

We have been working with our contractorstogether in this planning process on differentscenarios, and with input from industry itdetermines what we can and cannot do with

existing contracts or contracts we will have tore-compete for, he noted. A lot will dependon the length of the potential RSM, so contractstrategy is very dependent on the decisionsthat have yet to be made.

SERVICE PROVISION

NSPA contracts for base services include wastemanagement treatment, water bottling facilities,power generation, utilities and airfieldmanagement under aerial port of disembarkation(APOD) contracts. It is expected that there will onlybe one or two APODs in-theatre for RSM, butairfields will have to remain open as one of theprimary modes of transport.

Furthermore, NATO is transferring some ofthose airfields to [the Afghan government] tomanage, and in the event that they are not readyto take those over on 1 January 2015, we will beprepared to manage those airfields until they arecapable of taking those over, said Bernett.

NSPA is also taking over fuel managementin Afghanistan from Joint Force CommandBrunssum, which is managing the basic orderagreements until 1 December. NSPA has alreadytaken responsibility for fuel in the Kabul areafrom 1 August and is, concurrently, preparingcontracts to provide fuel for RSM.

One growing area of responsibility is thedevelopment of capability packages (CPs),elements of which are based at NSPAs SouthernOperational Centre (SOC) in Taranto, Italy.NSPA has procured several deployable HQ campsystems that are stored in strategic locations,including the SOC.

Allied Command Transformation, supportedby NATO Allied Command Operations, determinethe requirement for the capability packages.Under the main [CP 156], SOC has a 100-mancamp, a 200-man camp, two 500-man camps andwe are in the process of procuring two additional500-man camps. The 500-man camps are all

self-sustaining, long-term camps that can last forup to two years on deployment. We buy fromdifferent suppliers in NATO nations. The role 1+hospital, the dining systems, ablutions, water,fuel all of that is self-contained in those camps.

Furthermore NSPA is in the initial stagesof implementation for lighter weight, easilyerectable, rapidly deployable camps in supportof the current NATO Command Structurerequirements. The requirements are beingvalidated as we speak, and NSPA will be involvedwith the design, procurement and managementaspects of those camps, added Bernett.

From a capability perspective, we are alsodeveloping rapidly useable enabling contracts,to address a capability shortfall NATOrecognised at the Lisbon summit in 2010. Theinitial contracts are for base operations services,fuel support and strategic medevac, and willbe followed by additional ones depending oncapability requirement priorities. The contractsprovide access to these services at short noticeso when a camp is rapidly deployed we wouldhave the capability to run the camp facility.

We are relying more on contractors inthe battlefield, and this is another way to usethat capability and test it. Contractors havebeen involved in the planning process and wewill be able to train with them. There will betesting to make sure they can deliver whencalled upon. MLI

IN CONTROL

The NATO Support Agency (NSPA) is rapidly changing and wideningits capabilities. Tim Fish talks to Steve Bernett , director of logisticsoperations, who is retiring after a four-and-a-half-year tenure, aboutwhere NSPA is heading.


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Military Logistics Vol9 #3

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