Keeping up with the pace of the joint petroleum enterprise is no easy feat, but the Defense Logistics Agency Energy team has a tool capable of delivering real-time situational awareness for energy solutions as global missions and threat dynamics evolve.
DLA Energy deployed the Petroleum Logistics Utilization Tool and Optimization, or PLUTO, an artificial intelligence platform delivering near-real-time awareness across the petroleum logistics supply chain. PLUTO provides DLA Energy and Joint Petroleum Enterprise stakeholders with actionable data required to master strategic planning, anticipate threats, and ensure mission readiness in an increasingly contested logistics environment.
The launch of PLUTO aligns with an agencywide call to action from the DLA director, Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly, to sharpen data acumen. Simerly has challenged the workforce to use data more effectively, emphasizing that adaptability, decision advantage and resiliency are the keys to our success.
PLUTO’s capabilities include geospatial mapping for global supply chain visualization, risk management to ensure defense fuel support points meet demand targets and scenario-based modeling for proactive decision making. The system also uses artificial intelligence and machine learning analytics to forecast consumption risks, identify vulnerabilities and optimize inventory. By centralizing data, PLUTO provides near-real-time insights into informed decisions.
“The development of the artificial intelligence tool was driven by DLA Energy’s commitment to innovation, digital transformation and operational excellence,” said Toka Trau-Massey, a supervisory business process analyst in the DLA Energy Business Process Support Directorate. “This isn't just an upgrade; it’s a shift to further tackle logistics hurdles while proactively shaping desired outcomes.”
Global logistics environment adaptation
“In today's global environment, the flow of energy is no longer guaranteed,” said David Friedler, director of the DLA Energy Business Process Support Directorate. “Supply chains are stretched across vast distances, vulnerable to everything from geopolitical instability and cyberattacks to natural disasters. Before PLUTO, managing this complexity often involved piecing together information from disparate, siloed systems — static spreadsheets, manual data calls and dense reports that were often outdated by the time they reached a decision maker.”
Trau-Massey emphasized that the contested landscape was the primary driver for PLUTO, noting that this reality demanded a more agile and modern solution.
Released in October 2024, PLUTO is powered by the agency's Enterprise Advanced Analytics program, or EA2, which provides the foundational data architecture for these types of tools. Michael LeBreton, the EA2 program manager, said he sees PLUTO as a prime example of the program’s purpose.
"PLUTO is a key project that helps to operationalize DLA Energy's mission by providing advanced analytics and AI tools," he said. "It is a testament to our commitment to delivering data-driven solutions to the warfighter."
PLUTO in action: From strategic exercises to real-world crises
PLUTO has proven to be impactful in military exercises and daily operations where speed and accuracy are paramount. The AI-powered scenario analysis allows users to predict outcomes based on near-real-time inventories and visualize everything from shipping lanes to storm tracks on a single, dynamic map.
This capability was put to the test during Global Thunder 26, U.S. Strategic Command’s annual exercise. When USSTRATCOM issued a directive during the exercise to fill specific fuel points to maximum capacity, the DLA Energy team didn't need to make a dozen phone calls. Instead, they turned to PLUTO.
Army Capt. David Jeong, chief of operations at DLA Energy, described the tool as essential for visualizing primary, alternate and derived transportation lanes connecting between refineries and DFSPs. Jeong explained that having this information available instantly in a contingency, rather than buried in documents, allowed leaders to map out alternative supply routes in seconds.
“PLUTO gave planners an immediate inventory snapshot, enabling them to calculate needs and identify the closest vendors in minutes,” Jeong said.
The system has also transformed how DLA Energy prepares for and responds to natural disasters, said Air Force Capt. Joshua O’Donnell, a plans and operations officer. By overlaying hurricane forecast tracks on a map of DLA’s fuel assets, operators can immediately identify at-risk facilities. This allows them to adjust inventories, pre-position resources, or reroute shipments to ensure asset protection and mission continuity.
"PLUTO’s capabilities can be leveraged to help an agency ... anticipate resource availability by quickly identifying which DFSPs are at risk, assessing inventory sufficiency and allocating resources to maintain readiness," Trau-Massey said.
An evolution driven by users
“PLUTO’s success stems from its agile development methodology, which relies on a continuous feedback loop with the people who use it every day,” Friedler said. “This approach ensures the platform evolves in lockstep with the needs of the field and aligns with DLA’s core mission priorities: to set the globe, set the agency and set supply chains.”
“The proof is in the numbers,” he added. “Since its launch, the number of active users has surged by 650%; a clear indicator of its real-world value.”
Brian Rogers, deputy director of the DLA Energy Business Process Support Directorate, explained that the platform provides shared visualizations for partners across the Joint Petroleum Enterprise, including U.S. Transportation Command and the Joint Staff's logistics directorate. The tool helps break down information silos
“PLUTO enables DLA Energy commanders and leaders to view near-real-time inventory, understand current and future risk levels, and make informed decisions quickly,” Rogers said.
This capability has even rendered static slideshows obsolete in high-level meetings. Regional commanders brief the DLA Energy commander on an interactive map, rather than slides.
The way ahead: A smarter, more predictive supply chain
PLUTO extends even further into the realm of predictive and cognitive analytics. The platform goes beyond a rear-view mirror showing past and current events; it is being built into a forward-looking telescope.
“PLUTO’s future focuses on digital transformation, predictive analytics and enterprisewide collaboration,” Trau-Massey said. “The system is expanding its use of AI and machine learning to do more than just display data.”
The next leap will involve generative AI.
“Generative AI capabilities will allow users to ask questions in plain language and receive instant, actionable insights, streamlining decision making,” Trau-Massey added.
By integrating data, visualization and analytics, PLUTO represents advancement in how DLA Energy manages and communicates fuel logistics information. Bridging this technology with the institutional expertise of its users enhances situational awareness and supports data-driven decision-making across the joint petroleum enterprise.