FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Defense Logistics Agency is modernizing its distribution network to ensure the military can sustain operations in increasingly complex and contested environments.
The new white paper written by Army Maj. James Marley, DLA Distribution’s joint logistics contingency planner for U.S. Central Command, recognizes that logistics is no longer a back-end function, but a critical enabler of military success from lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine and growing strategic competition with China and Russia. This includes adapting to cyber threats highlighted by the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.
“At the heart of this transformation is a deliberate acceptance of complexity - not as a burden to be avoided, but as a design principle that enables adaptability,” Marley writes. “DLA is not simplifying its mission. It is engineering a distribution network capable of thriving in contested, unpredictable environments.”
While commercial logistics operations prioritize efficiency and cost, DLA’s modernization prioritizes readiness and resilience. This means operating through uncertainty, degraded conditions and operational complexity to support the joint force in any environment. The agency emphasizes learning from its own past shortcomings, like a $40 million misallocation of supplies in 2017 due to inaccurate forecasting, which it aims to avoid through data-driven decision making.
The modernization campaign is built around four core functions: setting the conditions for innovation, implementing enterprise-level systems management, using data-driven management and enhancing warehouse operations through advanced technologies.
Data is central to the agency’s modernization. Real-time performance tracking, visualization of operational trends and predictive analytics are used to anticipate demand and improve resource allocation. The goal is to gain "operational foresight" rather than relying on after-action reports, enabling logisticians to proactively address potential supply chain disruptions.
“Data is no longer a lagging indicator. It is a decision-making tool that shapes how DLA Distribution allocates resources, manages labor and postures inventory,” Marley writes. “But data alone is not enough. The value lies in how we frame it and the speed at which we act on it. Logistics generates massive volumes of information, but commanders do not need more dashboards.”
They need clarity, that comes from curating the right data with the right operational context to drive decisions that influence the fight, Marley added.
Automation and advanced equipment, such as automated guided vehicles and automated storage and retrieval systems, are being deployed to increase efficiency, optimize space and ensure continuity of operations even under strained conditions or cyberattacks. DLA emphasizes that this automation is not intended to replace people, but to supplement their capabilities and enhance resilience.
The Warehouse Management System and Warehouse Execution System serve as the digital backbone of DLA Distribution, providing real-time visibility into inventory and synchronizing operations across its distribution centers.
DLA is strategically repositioning its global logistics network, rebalancing stock between the continental United States and overseas sites. This includes consolidating inactive materiel at locations like DLA Distribution San Joaquin, California, while positioning high-demand inventory closer to points of need, such as Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. This also includes maintaining smaller "cold site" warehouses to provide surge capacity.
The modernization strategy includes infrastructure upgrades at major sites, with 5G connectivity, internet-connected integration and full wireless coverage.
The agency recognized its surge capacity depends on close coordination with strategic partners such as U.S. Transportation Command for strategic lift and geographic combatant commands for in-theater movement via common user logistics transportation.
DLA is implementing a targeted stock positioning strategy, placing high-demand parts near the points of need to reduce lead times and improve warfighter readiness. An example is the strategic positioning of high-demand parts for tracked Army vehicles at DLA Distribution Red River to support Red River Army Depot in Texas.
"DLA Distribution’s modernization is not about technology for its own sake. It is about building a distribution network that can operate under pressure and deliver when it matters most," Marley writes.
He added that modernization is nested within the broader Defense Department strategy and directly supports the joint force’s ability to campaign globally.