OM4421 Logistics Models and Applications

This applied course examines logistics in contested operational environments, emphasizing the quantitative models required to sustain military operations against peer and near-peer adversaries. Building on foundations in logistics strategy and supply chain management, the course analyzes how adversary actions, environmental conditions, and infrastructure constraints shape logistics planning and execution.

The course emphasizes analytical modeling of logistics systems, with particular attention to energy logistics, including fuel sourcing, distribution, and consumption for naval, air, and ground forces. Students evaluate logistics lines of supply across multiple modes and assess their vulnerability and resilience in contested settings. It will focus on the nexus of optimization, artificial intelligence, and classic supply chain models. These models will be tested against historical examples such as the Second World War, the Tanker War, and the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as forward-looking, advances in AI around INDOPACOM AOR.

Through case studies and collaborative analysis, students develop and assess logistics solutions that support current and future operational objectives. The course is structured as a collaborative think tank and analytical laboratory, with students taking an active role in shaping and contributing to collective learning. This course will include classified sessions at the US SECRET level as appropriate.

Prerequisite

OM4411 or permission from instructor.

Lecture Hours

Lab Hours

Course Learning Outcomes

Develop and evaluate logistics strategies to enhance operational effectiveness against peer and near-peer adversaries, considering contested environments, resource constraints, and geopolitical dynamics.

Analyze the strategic-tactical linkage in defense logistics and industrial base, articulating how high-level decisions by the United States and its Allies impact force readiness and sustainment, with a focus on INDOPACOM and EUCOM areas of responsibility.
Assess the current and future role(s) of Artificial Intelligence in defense logistics, exploring its impact on supply chain management, operational efficiency, decision-making, and the future of contested logistics.
Formulate and evaluate the responsiveness of defense supply chains, examining how they integrate with broader defense institutions to provide systems and materiel to forward-deployed forces. Understand the trade between cost and fragility.
Apply interdisciplinary knowledge to real-world logistics challenges, synthesizing insights from prior coursework, professional experiences, and current events to develop strategic and tactical recommendations.
Engage in collaborative problem-solving and critical discussion, contributing to a think tank-style learning environment by debating, analyzing, and refining logistics strategies with peers. Writing for policymakers will be a major part of this course.