Sustainment for Dispersed Forces in the Pacific

Topic Sponsor: PACAF/A4DX

Sustainment solutions for fuel and munitions in the Pacific theater

• Acker, Maj. Joseph M., "Not Going Alone: Air Combat Employment (ACE) as a Joint Mission," GCPME thesis, 2022, 39 pgs. 
  • This paper addresses the logistical challenges of the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) mission in the South Pacific by proposing a joint-service approach to rapidly maneuver aircraft, fuel, and weapons to austere locations. It suggests utilizing Marine Corps Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) teams to conduct aviation-delivered ground refueling (ADGR), a tactic that transfers fuel from a refueling aircraft directly to a fighter jet parked nearby. By integrating Navy Seabees for airfield preparation and Army or Marine transportation specialists to move equipment, the Air Force can reduce its personnel footprint and more securely and efficiently sustain dispersed fighter regeneration operations in contested environments.
• Adeji-Paul, Maj. Paul, "Improving the Resiliency of Air Force Logistics," AF Fellows paper (Department of Transportation), 2024, 25 pgs. 
  • Answers the question by proposing that the Air Force establish a dedicated functional command for agile combat support to increase the flexibility, adaptability, and robustness of its logistics enterprise in the Indo-Pacific. To ensure the availability of bulk fuel and munitions in a contested environment, the author recommends "setting the theater" by heavily prepositioning stocks and prioritizing interoperability with allies and partners. By utilizing the same fuel, support equipment, and aircraft parts as partner nations, the U.S. can maximize its capacity and drastically reduce the logistical burden of moving classes of supply across the globe during a conflict.
• Aguon, LTC Romaine M., "Strategic Readiness: Accelerating USARPAC's Theater Logistics through Military Pre-Positioning," AWC FLIR, 2024, 15 pgs. 
  • Emphasizes the critical role of Military Prepositioned Equipment (MPE), such as the Army Prepositioned Stock-3 (APS-3) afloat vessels, to accelerate theater logistics and drastically reduce deployment timelines. By strategically storing essential equipment, supplies, and munitions on land and aboard vessels tethered throughout the Indo-Pacific (e.g., in Diego Garcia, Guam, Japan, and South Korea), forces can bypass the need to transport materiel across thousands of miles during a crisis. The research argues that optimizing these prepositioned stocks, tailoring them to specific mission requirements, and shifting maintenance closer to the tethering locations will provide the necessary agility to sustain forces in a contested environment.
• Allen Leveraging 2026
  • Provides sustainment solutions for the Indo-Pacific through the framework of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Recognizing that traditional logistics are vulnerable to China's anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, the paper advocates for a revolutionary shift toward pre-positioned supplies and an interconnected "sustainment web". Specifically, to supply austere locations for rearming and refueling without exposing additional aviation or naval assets, the author recommends delivering fuel and ordnance beforehand using low-profile unmanned platforms and autonomous resupply vehicles, allowing Marines to minimize their footprint and time on the ground.
• Armfield, Capt. Richard et al, "Asymmetric Warfare with Palletized Effects: Enabling Taiwan with Air Force C-130Hs," SOS AUAR, 2025, 33 pgs. 
  • Proposes an innovative solution for munitions sustainment and employment for the Taiwanese Air Force (TAF). The paper advocates for leveraging the TAF's C-130H fleet, an underutilized asset in a conflict, as a platform for launching palletized munitions. This "arsenal plane" concept, utilizing systems like the Rapid Dragon, would allow a single C-130 to launch a significant number of stand-off munitions, such as JASSM cruise missiles, effectively turning a cargo plane into a bomber. This approach would increase the TAF's long-range strike capacity, reduce the reliance on more vulnerable fighter aircraft, and complicate enemy targeting. The paper also suggests that these C-130s could be used to deploy sea drones and rapidly reposition HIMARS artillery systems, further enhancing Taiwan's asymmetric warfare capabilities.
• Augello, Capt. Christopher et al, "Survive to Fight: The Flying Circus," SOS AUAR, 2024, 10 pgs. 
  • Does not directly answer the question of how to sustain U.S. fuel and munitions. Instead, the paper focuses on the opposite side of the logistical coin: preventing the adversary from resupplying. The author proposes using a "Flying Circus" concept—which relies on dispersed operations and asymmetric denial and deception tactics—to increase U.S. force survivability while actively contesting the People's Liberation Army's amphibious landings and resupply logistics in the South China Sea.
• Baker, Capt. Melissa, "Countering the PRC's Ad/AD Strategy: Adapting U.S. Military Operations and Strategy for the Indo-Pacific," AFGC, 2025, 39 pgs. 
  • Answers the question by arguing that sustainment in the Indo-Pacific relies fundamentally on Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and the deep integration of regional alliances. Because the U.S. requires munitions prepositioning and access to fuel depots to sustain dispersed operations and long-range bomber strikes, Baker advocates for utilizing bilateral and multilateral agreements—such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the Philippines—to secure access to allied infrastructure.
• Baptiste, LCDR Ryan P., "Sustaining the Fight: Innovations to Enhance Naval Logistics in INDOPACOM's Contested Environment," AF Global College thesis, 2025, 89 pgs. 
  • Proposes a layered "logistics web" architecture to sustain Expeditionary Advanced Basing Operations (EABO) and Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) inside contested environments. The paper argues that no single technology can secure contested logistics and recommends combining decentralized forward stockpiling to eliminate single points of failure, Next-Generation Logistics Ships (NGLS) for maneuverable bulk sustainment, and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV/XLUUVs) to covertly deliver critical cargo. Additionally, it advocates for AI-enhanced predictive sustainment to anticipate resupply needs and additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create repair parts on-site, significantly reducing the reliance on vulnerable sea lines of communication.
• Barry, Capt. Zachary et al, "MAF Support to the Integrated Combat Team," SOS AUAR, 2021, 13 pgs.  
  • To manage sustainment in anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) environments, this paper evaluates the use of C-17 aircraft to support Integrated Combat Teams (ICTs) for fighter packages at austere locations. For fuel sustainment, it suggests utilizing the Aerial Bulk Fuel Delivery System (ABFDS) and Forward Area Manifold (FAM) carts, which can theoretically transfer thousands of pounds of fuel directly from the C-17 to up to three fighters simultaneously. For munitions sustainment, the paper identifies a critical need to develop new tactics and static load trainers to safely transport live munitions via airlift and offload them to fighters without relying on traditional heavy equipment like K-Loaders, which will be unavailable at remote airstrips.
• Beto, Capt. Christopher, "Directed Output of Missiles: Manufacturing Ordnances in Remote Locations," SOS AUAR, 2020, 6 pgs. 
  • This paper offers a unique solution to the 75-day sea-freight supply chain delays for missiles in the Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) by proposing a "Directed Output of Missiles" (DOM) capability. The DOM concept involves creating portable, on-demand missile production facilities housed inside standard 40-foot shipping containers that can be deployed via C-17s to remote islands or naval vessels. By transporting non-energetic raw materials and assembling custom munitions at the tactical edge, the military can bypass vulnerable, static munitions storage areas (MSAs) and ensure fighters have immediate, fluid access to the weapons they need based on real-time mission requirements.
• Buford, Maj. Matthew R., "More Booms or More Gas: The Impact of a Strategic Tanker-Less Air Force in the Near-Peer Fight," GCPME paper, 2023, 38 pgs. 
  • Specifically addressing aviation fuel sustainment and the challenges of the "tyranny of distance" in the Indo-Pacific. The author notes that replacing the KC-10 with the smaller KC-46 creates an operational fuel capacity gap in a theater that requires massive endurance. To mitigate this and sustain air operations, Buford recommends utilizing commercial contract aerial refueling companies during peacetime to free up military assets for combat, developing a modified KC-46 with increased fuel capacity, fielding smaller tactical-type tankers that can operate within threat circles, and increasing the pipeline of tanker pilots.
• Carroll, Capt. Andrew et al, "Enhancing Taiwan's Deterrence and Resilience Posture: Utilizing PDA to Bolster the Taiwanese Air Force," SOS AUAR, 2024, 16 pgs. 
  • Answers the question in a co-authored paper on Taiwan's deterrence by examining how the U.S. might sustain the island during a potential Chinese quarantine. The research suggests that the U.S. would need to rely heavily on its tanker aircraft fleet, such as the KC-10 and KC-135, to execute a massive aerial resupply effort—analogous to the Berlin Airlift—to bypass maritime blockades and sustain operations.
• Carroll, Lt. Col. Benjamin, "Redistributing Rapid Global Mobility Control: Air Mobility Command & Control for the Future," AWC SSP, 2022, 70 pgs. 
  • This paper addresses fuel sustainment in the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) by highlighting Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts designed to operate in austere and distributed locations. Specifically, the paper notes that PACAF has experimented with transferring fuel directly from a C-17 aircraft to F-15s to provide quick and flexible refueling. Furthermore, it highlights the use of KC-135s practicing hot pit refuels to rapidly regenerate tankers at austere locations, a tactic that reduces the time required for aircraft recovery and launch.
• Cruden, Maj. David S., "Clipping the Dragon's Wing's: Gaining and Maintaining Air Superiority in the South China Sea," GCPME paper, 2020, 50 pgs. 
  • Focusing on the South China Sea, this paper argues that the immense distances in the Pacific will generate an "astronomical gas bill" and require significant air-to-air refueling (AAR) support, making advanced logistical planning critical. To successfully counter Chinese anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities from new agile, temporary operating locations, the author asserts that the USAF must clandestinely preposition weapons systems and munitions prior to offensive operations to ensure mission survivability. The paper also suggests that to minimize the personnel footprint at these austere locations, Airmen will need to be cross-trained, meaning that an ammunition specialist may also be required to refuel aircraft.
• Drumm, Christopher, "Agile Combat Employment Running on Fumes: Air Force's Challenges to Fuel the Pacific," GCPME paper, 2023, 57 pgs.
  • Addresses the Air Force's challenges in fueling distributed operations across the vast Indo-Pacific by advocating for both infrastructure upgrades and alternative delivery methods. The author recommends dispersing fuel into hardened, smaller-capacity storage tanks, utilizing expeditionary single-point mooring systems to create "floating gas stations" independent of established ports, and expanding commercial into-plane/into-truck contracts to leverage host-nation support. Furthermore, the paper highlights the use of Specialized Fueling Operations (SFO), such as wet-wing defuels and Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) operations, where mobility aircraft like the C-17 or C-130 act as mobile gas stations for combat aircraft at austere locations. 
• Egli, Maj. Caleb, "Fueling a Superpower: Reprioritizing the US Air Refueling Fleet for Great Power Competition," ACSC paper, subsequently published in Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs (May 8, 2024).
  • Directly addresses fuel sustainment in the Pacific theater by arguing that the U.S. must prioritize its tanker fleet to maintain a credible long-range conventional strike deterrence against China's anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) networks. Because stealth bombers will rely heavily on air refueling to launch from distant safe havens and penetrate Chinese airspace, Egli argues that the Air Force's aging tanker fleet is a critical vulnerability. To solve this, he recommends securing congressional support to completely transition away from the legacy KC-135, procuring additional KC-46s in the near term for their improved survivability and battlespace awareness, and aggressively expediting the acquisition of the Next-Generation Air-refueling System (NGAS).
• Eimers, Capt. James, "Future Use of Autonomous Cargo Drones in the United States Air Force and Department of Defense," SOS AUAR, 2021, 30 pgs.  
  • Focusing on "last mile delivery" and tactical resupply within contested environments, this paper advocates for the use of autonomous cargo drones and swarming tactics to sustain distributed nodes while bypassing enemy defenses. To specifically address fuel sustainment, the author highlights the Containerized, Precision-Guided, Air-Droppable, Air Delivered Gas and Additization Station (ADGAS). By incorporating refueling equipment and fuel into a standard TRICON or ISO container, ADGAS systems can be pre-positioned or delivered to remote locations to establish small refueling nodes for ground, air, and naval platforms, which concurrently extends the operational range of the cargo drones themselves.
• Forristal, Maj. Ryan M., "Red Light, Green Light: The Importance of Partners in a Contested Logistics Battle near the South China Sea," AFGC thesis, 2025, 40 pgs. 
  • Forristal addresses this challenge by identifying that delivering fuel and logistics support to forces inside China's A2/AD bubble will be extremely difficult, making sustainment for dispersed ACE operations highly vulnerable. He proposes solving this sustainment gap by aggressively utilizing the Diplomatic, Informational, Military, and Economic (DIME) instruments of national power to secure logistics hubs. Specifically, he recommends fortifying treaties to gain access to shared supply locations, accelerating military cooperation with nations around the South China Sea, and increasing U.S. investment in strategic island nations—such as Vanuatu and Kiribati—to prevent China from expanding its span of control and cutting off vital Pacific supply lines.
• Gracia, Maj. Jimmy S., "From WWII Relics to Modern Strongholds: Revamping Indo-Pacific Defense," AFGC 2025, 56 pgs. 
  • Gracia addresses this by evaluating the logistical hurdles of supplying remote, dispersed contingency bases under the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) hub-and-spoke model. To sustain forces across these vast distances, he advocates for the widespread integration of Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) kits—which provide modular power, water purification, and runway repair materials—to rapidly establish and maintain operations at "spoke" locations like Tinian and Saipan. Gracia also recommends increasing prepositioned stocks at these contingency sites, building hardened storage to protect assets from typhoons, and utilizing air-droppable BEAR kits alongside fleet oilers to ensure sustained operations if Chinese naval forces successfully interdict traditional supply routes.
• Griffin, Maj. Jonathan R., "Optimizing the CSRTF for the INDOPACIFIC," GCPME thesis, 2025, 39 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Answers the question by focusing on how to mitigate extreme fuel limitations for Combat Search and Rescue Task Forces (CSARTF) operating from austere Agile Combat Employment (ACE) locations in the Indo-Pacific. To minimize fuel consumption and the logistical footprint while extending operational range against China's A2/AD ecosystem, Griffin recommends optimizing the task force by pairing an HC-130 tanker with an F-18 for rescue escort and an HH-60 or CV-22 for the rescue vehicle.
• Hagardt, Maj. Benjamin, "Artificial Intelligence and Agile Combat Employment," AFGC, 2022, 48 pgs. 
  • Proposes utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to overcome the complex fuel and munitions sustainment challenges of executing Agile Combat Employment (ACE) in the Pacific. By applying algorithms similar to commercial e-commerce supply chains, AI could automatically forecast resource needs and assemble tailored equipment packages for dispersed contingency locations without human bias or error. In a dynamic conflict, the AI logistics engine could calculate available aircraft, weapons loads, and fuel proximity, proactively pushing optimal resupply delivery plans or re-tasking missions to forward arming and refueling points before supplies run out.
• Herrill, Steven, "Addressing the Tyranny of Distance and Capacity in Air Mobility Operations in INDOPACOM," GCPME thesis, 2025, 47 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Answers the question by addressing the "tyranny of distance" and the immense air refueling requirements necessary to sustain short-range fighters, like the F-35, in the Indo-Pacific. To maintain this fuel pipeline and sustain mobility operations, Herrill recommends adopting a "leapfrogging" hub-and-spoke strategy, upgrading refueling technology, and utilizing an "aircrew stage" process at major hubs like Hawaii or Guam to rapidly rotate crews and quick-turn mobility aircraft.
• Kroll, Maj. Steven J., "A Novel Solution to Power Generation on Austere Air Bases," AF Global College thesis, 2024, 54 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Addresses the massive logistical burden and vulnerability of transporting fuel to austere air bases in contested environments, such as the Indo-Pacific. To reduce the military's reliance on vulnerable fuel convoys and traditional diesel generators—which conflict with the light footprint required for Agile Combat Employment (ACE)—Kroll proposes transitioning to alternative, self-sustaining energy solutions. Specifically, he recommends the immediate adoption of scalable solar power paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS) as a near-term solution, alongside a long-term investment in Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) to provide reliable, low-maintenance, and fuel-independent power for distributed contingency locations.
• Lamarand, Lt. Col. Jesse W., "Deterring China: A Deterrence Approach Based on Understanding the Sources of Chinese Conduct and Chinese Campaign Science," AWC SSP, 2021, 29 pgs. 
  • Outlines a sustainment strategy focused on rapidly expanding munitions procurement and dispersing supplies across the Indo-Pacific theater. Noting that the U.S. expended a massive amount of precision-guided munitions in recent Middle East conflicts, the paper warns that current inventories are dangerously low for a high-intensity fight with China. To ensure munitions and fuel are available and survivable, the author recommends creating a 6,000-mile arc of expanded, hardened runways across Pacific islands and territories—such as Wake Island, Saipan, and Palau—to complicate Chinese targeting, support global strike assets, and ensure the U.S. can sustain a continuous counter-strike capability.
• Leatherman, J, "Key Logistical and Infrastructure Challenges in Support of the Defense of Taiwan," SOS AUAR, 2021, 7 pgs. 
  • Addresses Pacific theater logistical challenges by recommending the prepositioning of modular supply kits—which can include fuel, weapons, and aircraft parts—to decrease reliance on vulnerable cargo aircraft and ships. To ensure these supplies reach the necessary forces during a conflict, the author emphasizes the use of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) for dispersed operations and vertical take-off aircraft to rapidly transport troops, weapons, and equipment in and out of austere or decimated airfields where traditional cargo planes cannot land. Additionally, the paper highlights emerging Business Intelligence software and In-Transit Visibility systems to track and reroute parts and supplies directly to warfighters across distributed locations.
• Lemmen, Maj. Kurt, "Air Mobility's Untapped Potential to Meet Combat Airpower Requirements during Great Power Competition," GCPME thesis, 2024, 44 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​Identifies innovative theater airlift technologies that can sustainably deliver munitions and supplies to dispersed forces without exposing cargo aircraft to the risks of landing at austere or contested bases. The paper highlights the use of "Rapid Dragon," a palletized deployment container that allows cargo aircraft to employ standoff munitions in mass via airdrop, which reduces the need to transport and store munitions at forward operating sites. It also proposes utilizing "Silent Arrow," a precision-guided, winged delivery vehicle that glides to a landing spot after being airdropped, allowing cargo planes to conduct standoff resupply of ammunition and fuel to isolated teams.
• McSorley, LtCol Matthew T., "Impact of Force Design on Marine Corps Assault Support in the Age of Great Power Competition," AWC SSP, 2021, 27. 
  • Emphasizes the critical role of Marine Corps assault support aviation in transporting and sustaining forces across the vast, disputed island chains of the Pacific. The paper argues that successful operations against China require establishing and sustaining forward refueling and rearming points, which rely heavily on the speed and range of the MV-22 Osprey and the heavy-lift capacity of the CH-53. To overcome the tyranny of distance and dispersed supply chains, the author highlights the need for an efficient push-versus-pull supply system populated with forward-deployed stocks on both amphibious ships and land-based logistics hubs to keep aircraft fueled, armed, and maintained.
• Messer, Maj. Jessica et al, "Aviation Fuel Supply Chain in the Pacific: Understanding Limitations and Informing Supply Chain Design Improvements to Enable Successful Air Operations in the Pacific Theater," AF Fellows Paper (St. Louis University), 2023, 35 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​Focuses specifically on optimizing the aviation fuel supply chain network in the Pacific theater to handle massive wartime demands. The researchers modeled the distribution network and determined that the greatest marginal benefit comes from shifting the theater from a "pull" to a "push" logistics system, which anticipates needs and provides continuous delivery, thereby circumventing adversary communications jamming. The study also strongly recommends procuring seven additional Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) to increase intra-theater fuel transport capacity and expanding fuel storage capacities at Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) to reduce vessel wait times and bolster safety stocks.
• Moore, Maj. Autumn B., "Powering the Fight: Alternative Energy Solutions for Contingency Basing," AFGC thesis, 2021, 40 pgs.  
  • Tackles the massive logistical vulnerability of moving fossil fuel in the Indo-Pacific by proposing alternative and renewable energy technologies as a primary sustainment solution for contingency bases. To mitigate the risk of adversaries attacking fuel supply lines and depots, the paper suggests implementing solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower systems to create self-sustaining power generation. Furthermore, it highlights emerging technologies like the "Twelve company" that can convert CO2 into aviation jet fuel, and nanoelectricfuel (NEF) pods for vehicles, which together could effectively untether remote Pacific outposts from the need for external fossil fuel resupply convoys.
• Nickell, Maj. Ryan J., "War with a Heavyweight: Stealth Fighters and China," GCPME paper, 2020, 45 pgs.
  • ​​​​​​​Addresses fuel sustainment challenges in the South China Sea caused by China's anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, which push vulnerable US refueling tankers further away and increase the length, risk, and overall requirement of the fuel logistics train. To solve this fuel sustainment vulnerability and reduce reliance on forward tanker presence, the paper recommends extending the unrefueled combat radius of stealth fighters. Specifically, the author suggests outfitting F-22 and F-35 fighters with external fuel tanks as a rapidly employable, short-term fix, while investing heavily in the development of adaptive engine technology as the optimal long-term solution for extending combat ranges and maximizing fuel efficiency in the Pacific.
• Owen, Robert C., "Basing Strategies for Air Refueling Forces in Anti-Access/Area-Denial Environments," Published as an AU Press Fairchild Paper, 2015, 32 pgs.
  • ​​​​​​​Examines how to protect and sustain the vulnerable tanker fleets that provide critical fuel to U.S. forces in the western Pacific. To mitigate the threat of Chinese missile attacks on large, consolidated airbases, Owen recommends a mixed strategy heavily emphasizing agile disaggregation and dynamic dispersal, where tanker units frequently and unpredictably shift between numerous austere airfields. To logistically sustain the massive fuel demands of these dispersed operations, he suggests utilizing sea-based support via amphibious ships equipped with expeditionary fuel systems to supply the airfields, while also acquiring mid-sized tactical tankers (like the C-130J or A400M) that can land on short, unpaved, or austere runways.
• Persons, Lt. Col. Eli, "Examining Air Mobility in a US-PRC Theater Conflict Scenario," AWC Strategic Studies Paper (Kenney Airpower Seminar), 2024 42 pgs. Winner of the Air & Space Association Writing Award; Winner of the AWC Global Reach Award
  • ​​​​​​​Answers the question by analyzing the vulnerabilities of air mobility and aerial refueling operations in a highly contested Indo-Pacific environment. To mitigate logistical constraints and ensure forces remain fueled and supplied, Persons recommends prepositioning necessary stocks and equipment, tailoring forward-deployed footprints to the absolute minimum required, and transitioning from efficient "pull" logistics to more effective "push" logistics systems. Furthermore, the author highlights the need for planners to carefully balance the risk of losing vulnerable tanker assets by keeping them within the weapons engagement zone to maximize fuel offload potential for combat aircraft.
• Price, Maj. Christopher, "CORONET Improvements: Increasing Fuel Economy and Reducing Tanker Requirements," GCPME thesis, 2022, 40 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Tackles fuel sustainment by proposing flight profile efficiencies for Coronet missions, which are aerial refueling flights used to ferry fighter aircraft across vast distances, including Pacific routes to Hawaii and Japan. Recognizing the limited availability of tanker aircraft and the massive petroleum demands of the Department of Defense, the paper suggests optimizing flight performance parameters to conserve fuel. Rather than flying standard profiles at a constant altitude and airspeed, the author recommends utilizing complex flight profiles, such as flying at higher "maximum specific range" airspeeds between refuelings, to significantly reduce fuel consumption and decrease the overall number of tanker aircraft required to sustain trans-Pacific movements.
• Rankin, Lt. Col. Sherdrick, "The Application of Operational Design to Sustainment: A Case Study of Operation Enduring Freedom," AWC Strategic Studies Paper, 2021, 27 pgs.
  • ​​​​​​​Focuses on preparing joint sustainment planners for a future peer-to-peer fight in Asia by analyzing historical logistics lessons from Operation Enduring Freedom. To overcome the complex sustainment challenges expected in the Pacific, the paper recommends incorporating elements of operational design—specifically operational reach, basing, and lines of operation—directly into logistics planning. As practical sustainment solutions to mitigate shortfalls, the author advises employing a proactive "push" rather than a reactive "pull" logistics system, utilizing all available modes of transportation and supply, developing modular units with organic strategic lift capabilities, and establishing a Joint Logistics Command to control and prioritize theater sustainment activities.
• Smith, Maj. Ian A., "Ace with Spades: Air Force Civil Engineers and the Challenges of Enabling Agile Combat Employment," AFGC thesis, 2024, 58 pgs.  

  • Addressing the broader infrastructure required for Agile Combat Employment (ACE), this paper argues that the Air Force must transition from an efficiency-based "pull" logistics system to an effectiveness-optimized "push" system in the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility. To sustain fuel and munitions requirements at remote Contingency Locations, it emphasizes the necessity of prepositioning critical assets before conflict erupts so forces can operate independently if cut off from resupply. The paper notes that civil engineers and logisticians must rely heavily on prepositioned packages like Regional Base Cluster Pre-positioning (RBCP) kits and Deployable Air Base System (DABS-FEV) sets to rapidly establish airfield operations and sustain dispersed combat forces.

• Strabley, Maj. Joseph M., "A Contested Horizon: Conducting Logistics against a Near Peer Adversary," GCPME thesis, 2023, 37 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Explicitly addresses the challenges of sustaining fuel and munitions in the INDOPACOM theater due to the vast expanses of water and China's A2/AD geographic advantages. To modernize logistics for a near-peer conflict, Strabley recommends a multi-pronged solution that includes prepositioning critical assets afloat or at partner nation locations, establishing robust bilateral agreements, and leveraging third-party cloud-based tracking systems. Crucially, to ensure dispersed forces do not run out of fuel or munitions, he proposes implementing artificial intelligence algorithms for predictive resupply, automatically calculating operational needs and ordering critical assets before they run dry with minimal human intervention. 
• Theriault, LCDR Luke, "Moving the Fulcrum: Applying Lessons from Russia-Ukraine War on Asymmetric Naval Warfare to a Potential Defense of Taiwan against a Chinese Invasion," ACSC PACAF, 2024, 24 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​Emphasizes that resupplying Taiwan with expended munitions during a conflict will be nearly impossible due to China's blockade capabilities. Because Taiwan does not share a land border with supporting nations like Ukraine does, Theriault argues that the primary sustainment solution is to accelerate the delivery and stockpiling of survivable, asymmetric weapons—such as HIMARS, ground-launched anti-ship missiles, and Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs)—before hostilities begin.
• Trucco, Maj. Anthony, "Fuel Capacity in the Pacific Theater," ACSC elective paper (Logistics and the Use of Military Force), 2023, 15 pgs.
  • ​​​​​​​Examines the severe shortage of assured maritime tankers required to move Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (POL) into and around the Asia-Pacific. To mitigate this vulnerability, the author recommends passing legislation requiring that exported U.S. POL be transported on American-flagged tankers to quickly build a commercial fleet available for military use, ensuring "assured access". The paper also advises the Defense Logistics Agency to prioritize buying domestic fuel rather than relying on regional foreign markets that the Chinese Communist Party may influence, alongside modernizing infrastructure and prepositioning POL in a dispersed manner across both land locations and maritime ships.
• Trujillo, Lt. Col. Maureen A., "Defense Primer: Department of Defense Prepositioned Material," CRS Report, AFF paper, 2022 2 pgs.
  • ​​​​​​​To facilitate a rapid response during the initial phases of expeditionary military operations, this paper highlights the Department of Defense's strategy of maintaining pre-positioned war reserve materiel (PWRM) globally. For munitions sustainment, the Air Force relies on a combination of dispersed ashore assets across 23 worldwide locations and afloat munitions stocks stored aboard dedicated ships. To solve fuel logistics, the military strategically pre-positions Fuels Support Equipment (FSE) sets that are designed to provide on-demand ground and aircraft fuel support at forward operating sites.
• Walsh, Lt. Col. Sean, "Enhancing Fuel Support to Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations Through Autonomous Unmanned Technologies," AWC Strategic Studies Paper, 2020, 29 pgs.
  • ​​​​​​​This paper explicitly targets the massive fuel requirements of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) in the Indo-Pacific theater by recommending the widespread adoption of autonomous unmanned technologies. To reduce the risk to expensive manned ships and alleviate the need for heavy force protection, it suggests utilizing a family of unmanned systems, including medium-range surface vessels (like the Sea Hunter), extra-large unmanned undersea vehicles (like the Orca), and unmanned aerial refuelers (like the KC-Z). Furthermore, it proposes innovative concepts like autonomous floating FARP barges that can maneuver at sea to provide on-demand, distributed fuel support to stand-in forces.
• Wibben, Maj. Derek T., "Sustaining a Competitive Edge: Eliminating Logistics Vulnerabilities with Sustainable Aviation," GCPME thesis, 2023, 43 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​Takes a disruptive approach to the Pacific's fuel logistics vulnerability by proposing that the Joint Force move away from petroleum-based aviation fuels entirely. The study assesses alternative aviation propulsion systems and concludes that the maturation and adoption of electric and nuclear propulsion systems would provide immense tactical and operational benefits. By utilizing electric aircraft that can recharge via renewable energy at austere locations, or nuclear-powered aircraft that can achieve near-limitless flight endurance, the military could effectively eliminate the massive and highly vulnerable supply chain requirements currently needed to sustain aviation fuel in the theater.
• Winfield, Maj. Rick et al, "Air Force Tankers: Managing the Tanker Supply Chain," AF Fellows project (St. Louis University), 2020, 44 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Directly addresses fuel sustainment in the paper “Air Force Tankers – Managing the Tanker Supply Chain.” The authors focus on the "tanker supply chain" and the inefficiencies that currently degrade the U.S. military's ability to efficiently task KC-135 and KC-10 aerial refueling aircraft for global power competition. To ensure that tankers can persistently support combat power projection, the paper proposes consolidating the four current tanker tasking pathways (Global Force Management, Requests for Forces, Air Refueling Management System, and Air Refueling Scheduling Tool) into a single system. This unified system would give decision-makers comprehensive visibility over the global tanker inventory, increase confidence, and reduce the need for units to hoard "safety stocks" of fuel and tankers. Additionally, Winfield et al. recommend applying commercial Supply Chain Management (SCM) best practices—specifically Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)—to better forecast demand, mitigate mission variability, and effectively allocate tanker assets to align with the National Defense Strategy.
• Young, Maj. Ryan H., "Hiding in the White Noise: Special Operations Logistics in the Pacific," ACSC elective (Logistics and the Use of Military Force), 2023, 15 pgs. 
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Proposes solutions to sustain Special Operations Forces (SOF) with fuel and munitions across the vast distances of the Indo-Pacific without relying on vulnerable, centralized supply hubs. To survive and resupply within China's weapon engagement zones, Young recommends creating distributed logistics networks that rely on randomized, hidden caches of prepositioned supplies located across military, civilian, or desolate areas. Additionally, he argues for hardening maritime logistics by employing armed, modified civilian fast ferries to conduct stealthy fuel and munitions resupply operations at unpredictable sea rendezvous points, thereby complicating the adversary's targeting picture and hiding in the "white noise" of maritime traffic.