DLA News Archive

March 19, 2026

Beyond factory to foxhole: DLA transforms for a contested future

For decades, the U.S. military’s logistics system prioritized global efficiency, cost savings, and reliable throughput, fostering a culture of centralized stockpiling at large, fixed supply depots. As a result, this system is dangerously inadequate for confronting emerging global threats, particularly from the People Republic of China (PRC) in the Indo-Pacific theater. Today, logistics functions are no longer relegated to rear area support; logistics has become the "central front" in great power competition.

March 19, 2026

Internet of behavior and digital dust: Implications for supply chain security and mission assurance

Moving can be a stressful event. Whether you have moved once or several times, it is an event that upends the lives of the entire family. SSG Alex Kallus, an Army logistics NCO, had just received orders to PCS (Permanent Change of Station) from Fort Novosel, AL, to his new joint assignment in DLA at Fort Belvoir, VA. His spouse, Kay, and their two kids were ready for the move and were busily making plans for the new location. As any military family knows, PCS moves meant chaos, checklists, and lots of internet searches.

March 19, 2026

REFORPAC 2025 and the friction of distribution: Stress-testing agile combat employment logistics

The United States’ strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific was forged in the crucible of the World War II. In that campaign, General Douglas MacArthur operationalized “island hopping”—the sequential seizure and development of forward operating bases to project combat power across vast maritime distances.1 This approach proved decisive in the Pacific theater and established a foundational insight that endures today: in the Indo-Pacific, geography rewards dispersion, and logistics determines whether operational concepts succeed or fail. That logic underpins contemporary concepts such as Agile Combat Employment (ACE).

March 19, 2026

Transforming defense logistics planning: Leveraging machine learning for enhanced warfighter readiness

The recent war in Ukraine has underscored the importance of logistical planning. In a 2023 study, RAND noted that “Russia’s failures in the war with Ukraine were due to poor planning”. Seeing these missteps and recognizing the critical importance of logistics, US Army Pacific named it as one of its four core “Interior Lines” that must be met to achieve its 2025 posture plan. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the Department of Defense’s (DOD) combat support supply chain organization, will be a key piece in achieving these plans. Because of this importance, DLA’s way of material planning needs to evolve.

Feb. 18, 2026

Fuel Afloat Concept Expands Operational Resiliency for Joint Petroleum Distribution

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — In today’s contested logistics environment, the Defense Logistics Agency is focused on improving the resilience and flexibility of the fuel enterprise supporting joint operations. As global demands increase, DLA Energy is demonstrating new ways to deliver fuel where and when it’s needed most.

Jan. 6, 2026

Uniform design standardization offers potential supply chain solutions

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — The Campaign of Learning white paper, “Uniform Design Standardization,” authored by Andrew Strohmetz of DLA Troop Support, examines how streamlining uniform designs across all military services can reinforce the U.S. defense supply chain.

Dec. 22, 2025

Modern contested logistics truths drive joint logistics approaches

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — The Campaign of Learning burst paper, “The Joint Logistics Enterprise’s Modern Contested Logistics Truths,” authored by DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly and Leighann Martin, explores how updating “logistics truths” is critical for meeting the demands of today’s complex military environment.

Dec. 17, 2025

‘Just enough logistics’ shifts paradigm in military supply chain readiness

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — In response to increasingly complex and asymmetric battlefield environments, new strategies are being advanced to recalibrate how logistics enable warfighter readiness and operational agility.

Nov. 1, 2025

Just Enough Logistics: Shifting the Logistics Paradigm

Today’s battlespace is more complex, unpredictable, and technologically advanced than ever before. The modern Warfighter must operate in environments where logistics is under threat – from cyber vulnerabilities, adversarial supply chain manipulation, and constrained transportation networks. 

Nov. 1, 2025

Modernization of the Distribution Network

Logistics is no longer a back-end function; it is a front-line enabler of military success. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has underscored the critical role of logistics in modern warfare, where the ability to move, store, and deliver material at speed will be a decisive factor in conflict outcomes.