Logistics 4.1 is dual-use logistics as a strategic weapon: resilience and technology with AI, autonomy and automation
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Published on: July 31, 2025 / Updated on: July 31, 2025 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Logistics 4.1 is dual-use logistics as a strategic weapon: resilience and technology with AI, autonomy and automation – Image: Xpert.Digital
Logistics 4.1 as a strategic weapon: resilience, technology, and the role of the militia in modern national and alliance defense
The strategic reorientation of logistics in the 21st century
Military logistics, historically often perceived as a "baggage train" or a supporting auxiliary function, is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation. In the face of a dramatically changing global security situation, characterized by the return of interstate conflicts and the omnipresence of hybrid threats, logistics is no longer merely a necessary service, but a crucial strategic capability. It is the backbone and nervous system of modern armed forces, whose performance determines deterrence, endurance, and ultimately victory or defeat. This report analyzes the multifaceted realignment of military logistics and sheds light on why it has become a proactive, strategic weapon.
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From the “baggage train” to the “nervous system”: The historical development of military logistics
The realization that logistics is decisive in war is by no means new. Even in the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, and the two World Wars of the 20th century, the ability to supply armies with supplies, equipment, and provisions over long distances was a key factor for military success. The Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz recognized that an army's supply chain determines its operational reach and tempo. During World War II, the logistical challenges of global theaters of war led to innovations such as the standardized container and the application of operations research, which continue to shape civil and military logistics to this day. The primary function was always clearly defined: the provision of "food, ammunition, and materiel" to supply the combat troops at the front.
The modern definition of military logistics, however, goes far beyond this classic supply function. Today, it encompasses the comprehensive management, design, and optimization of all logistical structures, systems, and processes with the goal of ensuring the survivability, operational capability, and sustainability of armed forces under all conditions. At its core, it is what is now referred to as "military mobility": the ability to move troops, equipment, and resources quickly and efficiently over long distances, both within and outside national borders. This makes logistics the central enabler of every military operation.
The “turning point” as a catalyst: Why robust logistics decide between victory and defeat
After the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, Western armed forces consistently aligned their structures and capabilities toward international crisis management (ICM) missions. These missions, such as those in the Balkans or Afghanistan, were often characterized by rather static operations within a confined space and comparatively low consumption of materiel and ammunition. Logistics during this era was streamlined for efficiency; organic logistics forces and resources were sometimes drastically reduced, for example, by over 40 percent in the Bundeswehr. The focus was on predictable processes, a streamlined depot organization, and civilian service providers.
The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the all-out invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 marked a "turning point" and forced an abrupt strategic realignment. National and alliance defense (NAD/GAD) returned to the foreground, placing fundamentally different demands on logistics. Plannable, static operations are being replaced by scenarios with extremely short reaction times, highly dynamic and mobile combat operations over large areas, and an enormously high consumption of ammunition, fuel, and spare parts. The war in Ukraine has brutally confirmed the wisdom of General Dwight D. Eisenhower: "You will not be hard-pressed to prove that battles, campaigns, and even wars have been won or lost primarily because of logistics." The kilometer-long, stranded Russian military convoy outside Kyiv in the first weeks of the war, paralyzed by a lack of fuel, blown tires, and inadequate repairs, became a symbol of logistical failure and its catastrophic strategic consequences. It was the wake-up call that clearly demonstrated to the West the need for robust, sustainable and resilient logistics.
Logistics is no longer a subordinate service function that reactively awaits the demands of the combat troops. Rather, it is a proactive, strategic capability that enables and defines the limits of operational leadership. Visible mastery of logistics is itself a form of deterrence, as it signals to a potential adversary the ability to conduct sustainable and sustained operations, thus demonstrating the "folly of aggression." The modernization of logistics through the intelligent integration of data, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems, the systematic utilization of civil-military synergies – especially through the unique potential of the militia – and the resolute overcoming of bureaucratic innovation hurdles are of vital importance for the defense capability of modern armies in the 21st century.
A militia is a military or paramilitary organization composed of citizens who are not full-time soldiers. They perform military duties alongside their civilian duties, particularly in times of defense or emergency.
There are two main forms:
State-organized (e.g. Switzerland): Citizens receive regular military training and can be mobilized in an emergency.
Independent or irregular: groups that organize themselves, e.g., in civil war or resistance movements.
Typical features:
Part-time or volunteer service
Combination of civilian life and military service or operational readiness
Often locally or regionally rooted
Militias can be used for national defense, internal security or in times of crisis.
The Transformation of Military Logistics: From Service to Strategic Capability
The reorientation toward national and alliance defense requires a fundamental rethinking of the conception and organization of military logistics. It must transform from a support service geared toward efficiency into a robust, resilient, and networked system capable of functioning even under direct enemy pressure. This transformation is based on new design principles, an examination of the concept of "contested logistics," and the critical dependence on civilian infrastructure.
Design principles for the battlefield of the future
For military logistics to fulfill its strategic role, it must not become an end in itself. Its design must follow clear principles that ensure it is effectively and efficiently aligned with military requirements. These principles form the conceptual foundation for a modern logistics organization.
Mission orientation: The top priority is the strict alignment of all logistical structures, processes, and capabilities with the requirements of the mission. This means a conscious departure from purely business-related efficiency considerations, which may dominate peacetime operations. In missions, what matters is not the lowest costs, but the guaranteed availability of supplies at the right time and in the right place.
Impact orientation: Unlike in the civilian economy, where the goal is profit maximization, the focus of military logistics is on the desired impact: the establishment and maintenance of combat power, operational readiness, and the sustainment of troops. Every logistical measure is measured by its contribution to the success of the military operation.
Network orientation: Modern military logistics is not a monolithic bloc, but an integrated network of operations. It links basic logistics, which operates from home, with the operational logistics of the armed forces, the civilian organizational areas of the military administration, and the services of third parties, such as the commercial sector and allied partners. This networking requires a maximum degree of interoperability – both technically and procedurally. The ability to work seamlessly with multinational partners is "the key to success" in alliance operations.
Resource orientation & customer focus: Even if the focus is on impact, efficient use of scarce resources (personnel, materials, finances) is essential. At the same time, the focus must always be on the customer, the "customer" – that is, the soldier on the front line – One desired principle here is the pull principle, in which troops report their needs and logistics delivers them in a targeted manner, rather than overwhelming the troops with supplies (the push principle). However, this requires excellent planning and real-time data on demand.
“Contested Logistics”: The challenge of supply under constant pressure
A crucial feature of modern conflict scenarios is that logistics no longer operates in a secure, rear-end space. It itself becomes the enemy's primary target. This concept is referred to as "contested logistics." The threat to the military logistics system will increase massively in future conflicts, be it from long-range artillery, drones, special forces, or cyberattacks.
This new reality has far-reaching consequences. Logistics forces themselves must possess a high degree of protection, mobility, and sustainability in order to survive and fulfill their mission. The transfer of supplies can no longer take place solely at static supply points, but must also be possible dynamically during the movement of combat troops. The increased ranges of modern weapons systems also mean that there are hardly any truly secure rear areas. Time-consuming repairs or the gathering of supplies in supposedly threat-free zones will only be possible to a very limited extent.
The strategic response to the challenge of "contested logistics" is resilience. Resilience must become the central design principle for the entire logistics system. This represents a fundamental paradigm shift away from the pure efficiency optimization of past decades. While efficiency aims to avoid waste through lean processes and minimal inventory levels, resilience requires deliberately created buffers and redundancies to compensate for failures and attacks. Specifically, this means investing in the protection of logistics facilities and convoys, creating redundancies through alternative transport routes and means, ensuring secure and encrypted communication channels, and robust cyber defense for all logistics control and information systems.
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The Achilles heel of civilian dependency: support from host nations and infrastructure
Modern armed forces depend on civilian capacities and infrastructure to an extent that is often underestimated. Especially in peacetime, it is neither economically viable nor necessary to maintain all the transport capacities required for a large-scale operation – be it trains, trucks, ships, or aircraft – in-house. In a crisis or defense situation, this massively increased demand must be met by the civilian sector, whether through contractual agreements or, in extreme cases, through requisition.
This dependence makes civilian infrastructure a strategic cornerstone, but also a critical vulnerability for Alliance defense. NATO military operations rely heavily on civilian roads, rail networks, ports, airports, communications networks, and energy supplies. The resilience of this civilian infrastructure is thus the foundation for nation-wide resilience and a prerequisite for collective defense.
Germany's geographical location in the center of Europe gives it a special responsibility as a transit and hub nation. As part of alliance defense, Germany must provide extensive "host nation support" (HNS) for the deployment of allied forces. This includes not only transport but a whole range of services such as logistical support, refueling, catering, accommodation, and security along the routes.
The reality, however, is often sobering. Military mobility is hampered by significant deficits. These include partially dilapidated transport infrastructure, particularly bridges whose load-bearing capacity is insufficient for modern heavy military vehicles, as well as significant bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles that slow cross-border transport. Political initiatives such as the EU's PESCO "Military Mobility" project aim to simplify and standardize these national procedures to enable the rapid transport of military personnel and equipment within the EU. Overcoming these challenges is an ongoing task and requires close cooperation between NATO and the EU, as many of the hurdles lie within civilian jurisdictions.
Case Study: Lessons from Ukraine
The war in Ukraine serves as a real-life laboratory and dramatic illustration of the principles discussed here. It has impressively confirmed the fundamental importance of logistics for modern, high-intensity warfare.
Logistical failure as a strategic mistake
The initial failures of the Russian armed forces in the attack on Kyiv were largely due to a catastrophic logistical failure. A lack of fuel, spare parts, provisions, and poorly coordinated repairs resulted in entire columns being stranded and becoming easy targets. This demonstrates that even a numerically superior force cannot unleash its combat power without functioning logistics.
International logistics as a lifeline
Conversely, the massive support of Ukraine by Western states demonstrates the critical importance of a functioning, internationally interconnected logistics chain. The delivery of weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and humanitarian supplies thousands of kilometers to the front lines is a logistical masterpiece that ensures the resilience of Ukraine's defenders.
The vulnerability of modern systems
The conflict has also exposed the vulnerability of modern technologies. For example, the radio links needed to control reconnaissance and combat drones are a constant target for electronic jamming. This underscores the need to develop more robust or even autonomous systems to reduce this vulnerability.
The lessons from Ukraine compel a reassessment. Logistics over the past 30 years have been optimized for cost efficiency and "just-in-time" principles for relatively predictable ICM missions. However, the new reality of national and alliance defense requires a fundamental shift toward resilience, redundancy, and the ability to operate under constant enemy pressure. This inevitably means higher costs and a departure from purely business-oriented logic. Strategic success is no longer defined by the cheapest, but by the most robust and sustainable logistics process.
Furthermore, it has been shown that the vulnerability of modern, highly interconnected logistics chains, which rely on civilian infrastructure, makes them a primary target in hybrid and conventional conflicts. An adversary can attempt to cripple an army's combat power by attacking its supply lines – whether physically through sabotage or digitally through cyberattacks – without having to directly confront a single combat unit. Conversely, the ability to protect one's own logistics and specifically disrupt those of the enemy is becoming a decisive factor in modern warfare. One's own logistical resilience thus becomes a key defensive capability, while the ability to disrupt enemy logistics (“contested logistics”) becomes an offensive weapon.
Comparison of civil and military logistics principles
Comparison of civil and military logistics principles – Image: Xpert.Digital
Civil and military logistics principles differ fundamentally in several respects. While civil logistics, for example in e-commerce, primarily aims at profit maximization and cost efficiency, military logistics in the LV/BV scenario focuses on mission fulfillment as well as maintaining combat power and sustainability. The civil logistics environment is largely stable, predictable, and cooperative, whereas military logistics operates in a chaotic, hostile, and unpredictable, so-called "contested" environment. Demand in civil logistics is predictable and subject to seasonal fluctuations, whereas in the military sector it is sudden, extremely volatile, and unpredictable – comparable to unexpected peaks such as Cyber Monday, Black Friday, and the Christmas rush simultaneously. The civil logistics supply chain is designed for maximum efficiency, for example through just-in-time operations and minimal inventory levels, whereas military logistics focuses on maximum resilience and robustness, with redundancy, buffer stocks, and the just-in-case principle. Infrastructure in civil logistics is considered secure, available, and reliable, whereas in a military context it can be vulnerable, partially destroyed, and unreliable. In civil logistics, the focus is on personnel productivity and efficiency; in the military sector, however, personnel must be able to operate, survive, and fulfill their mission even if their lives are at risk. Risk management in civil logistics focuses on economic risks such as delivery delays and costs, whereas in military logistics, the focus is on mission failure and endangering human life. Finally, the use of technology in civil logistics is primarily aimed at reducing costs and customer satisfaction, whereas in military logistics, operational reliability, redundancy, and functionality under the most adverse conditions are the primary concerns.
Your dual -use logistics expert
Dual-use logistics expert – Image: Xpert.digital
The global economy is currently experiencing a fundamental change, a broken epoch that shakes the cornerstones of global logistics. The era of hyper-globalization, which was characterized by the unshakable striving for maximum efficiency and the “just-in-time” principle, gives way to a new reality. This is characterized by profound structural breaks, geopolitical shifts and progressive economic political fragmentation. The planning of international markets and supply chains, which was once assumed as a matter of course, dissolves and is replaced by a phase of growing uncertainty.
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Militia as an innovation engine: Bridging civilian know-how and military logistics
Technological disruption: Data, AI and autonomy as drivers of Logistics 4.1
Technological developments, often summarized under the term "Industry 4.0," are revolutionizing civilian logistics and offering enormous potential for the military. Military logistics aims to create integrated, data-driven, and automated systems through the integration of digital technologies that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire supply chain. Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous systems are the key drivers of this transformation.
The data-driven battlefield: the basis for precise control
Digitalization is the fundamental key to accelerating and optimizing the complex decision-making and implementation processes of modern logistics. The overarching goal is to create a common, interoperable data space that provides all stakeholders involved – from the planning staff to the troops in the field – with a unified and up-to-date view of the logistics situation. This allows decisions to be made based on live data, rather than outdated reports or empirical data.
The technological basis for this is the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems (CPS). By equipping supplies, containers, vehicles, and storage facilities with sensors, data on their location, condition (e.g., temperature in cold chains), movement, and fill level can be continuously recorded and transmitted. This real-time transparency across the entire supply chain is the prerequisite for concepts such as "smart warehousing." Here, manual and largely analog operations are replaced by automated inventory management, optimized warehousing, and automated picking and shipping processes.
The greatest challenge on the path to data-driven logistics, however, lies in the existing IT landscape. Often, the quality of master data is inadequate, and the IT applications used are isolated solutions that cannot communicate with each other. A prominent example from the German Armed Forces is the "Standard Application Software Product Family" (SASPF), which, while serving as a basis, often operates with an incomplete standard and poor data quality. These system gaps between different applications and with the systems of civilian suppliers or allied partners prevent a holistic, consistent view and make effective, data-based management virtually impossible. The introduction of new technologies alone does not solve these fundamental problems. Their true value only unfolds when the underlying processes, data quality, and user mindsets are adapted. The greatest hurdle for Logistics 4.1 is therefore not the technology itself, but the creation of the organizational and data-related foundations. Without this "groundwork," expensive technology projects remain isolated beacons without broad, lasting impact.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a logistical staff officer
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have the potential to fundamentally transform logistics planning and control. They can analyze vast amounts of data from a wide variety of sources (e.g., sensor data, consumption statistics, weather data, reconnaissance results) to identify patterns, make predictions, and provide recommendations for action. It is important to understand that AI does not replace human decision-makers, but rather serves as a high-performance assistance system for logistics planners. While the battalion commander or logistics officer ultimately bears the responsibility for the decision, AI can provide them with the necessary information faster and more precisely than a human ever could.
The fields of application for AI in military logistics are diverse:
Application 1: Predictive Maintenance
This is one of the most promising fields of application. Instead of servicing vehicles and weapon systems at fixed intervals or only after a failure, AI systems continuously analyze sensor data (e.g., from engines, transmissions, hydraulic systems). They detect deviations from the normal state and can thus predict a component failure before it occurs. This drastically reduces unplanned downtime, lowers maintenance costs, and increases the availability and operational readiness of the troops. Research and development in this area are taking place at Bundeswehr universities, among others, for example in the context of space applications, where predicting system failures is critical.
Application 2: Demand and route forecasting
AI algorithms can predict future requirements for ammunition, fuel, or medical supplies with high precision based on the current tactical situation, planned operations, and historical consumption data. At the same time, they can optimize transport routes in real time by taking into account current information on threats (e.g., enemy positions), road conditions, or bottlenecks and automatically suggesting alternative routes.
Application 3: Process automation and decision support
AI can automate repetitive and data-intensive tasks in administration and procurement. The AI-PROcure project of the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub (CIHBw), for example, aims to accelerate procurement processes with AI and use resources more efficiently. In logistical situation assessment, AI can help analyze large volumes of reconnaissance data (e.g., from drone images) to detect enemy activities against one's own logistics at an early stage.
The Bundeswehr and other armed forces are actively promoting the use of AI. Institutions such as the CIHBw and the Bundeswehr Center for Digitalization and Technology Research (dtec.bw) are serving as catalysts. Specific research projects such as "AuLoKomp" (development of an autonomous, flexible intralogistics compact warehouse) and "iMOD" (automation and optimization of aircraft assembly and associated logistics) demonstrate the breadth of efforts to harness AI potential for logistics.
Autonomy on the rise: Unmanned systems in the supply chain
Autonomous and remotely controlled systems are another key technology in military logistics. Their primary purpose is to take over dangerous, physically demanding, or monotonous tasks to relieve human personnel, protect them from danger, and increase efficiency.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones)
Drones are ideally suited for a wide range of logistical tasks. They can be used for "last-mile" supply, quickly transporting urgently needed supplies such as blood, medicines, or critical spare parts to forward-deployed units. They can also be used to reconnoiter routes to check for mines or enemy ambushes, or serve as airborne relay stations to ensure communications in difficult terrain.
Autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs)
Unmanned ground vehicles can transport materials, ammunition, and supplies autonomously or remotely. A particularly promising concept is "leader-follower" systems, in which a single driver in a manned command vehicle controls a convoy of several unmanned trucks. This significantly reduces the personnel required for transport tasks and reduces the number of soldiers exposed to the risk of convoy attacks.
Unmanned surface and underwater vehicles (USV/UUV)
Unmanned systems are also playing a growing role in the maritime sector. They are already being used for wide-area reconnaissance, surveillance, and anti-submarine warfare. This also has logistical implications, as these unmanned platforms must be self-powered and maintained, requiring new logistical concepts.
Networked processes: opportunities and the Achilles heel of cybersecurity
The comprehensive networking of all logistics actors and systems – from the sensors on individual supplies to the control systems in the depots and even the mobile forces in the field – creates a highly transparent and potentially very efficient overall system. However, this connectivity also represents the greatest vulnerability. Every networked sensor, every vehicle, and every control system represents a potential attack vector for cyberattacks.
The compromise of logistics systems and data can have devastating consequences. A successful attack could result in supplies being deliberately diverted to the wrong location, inventory data being manipulated, cold chains being disrupted, or entire depots being brought to a standstill. Protecting logistics data and communications networks from espionage, sabotage, and manipulation is therefore of vital importance. Defending the supply chain begins with defending data. Cybersecurity is therefore no longer a subordinate IT task, but a core competency of the logistics force itself.
Furthermore, the increasing use of AI and autonomous systems raises profound ethical and legal dilemmas. Who is responsible if an AI produces an incorrect needs assessment that leads to a critical supply shortage with fatal consequences for troops? How can we ensure that autonomous transport systems make ethically correct decisions in ambiguous situations (e.g., when encountering civilians)? These questions of responsibility, control, and the moral acceptability of machine decisions are still largely unresolved and pose a significant hurdle to widespread implementation.
Key technologies in military logistics: applications, opportunities and risks
Key technologies in military logistics: applications, opportunities, and risks – Image: Xpert.Digital
The key technologies of military logistics encompass various applications, each with its own opportunities and risks. Big data and analytics enable the creation of a comprehensive logistical situational overview, the analysis of consumption data, and the identification of bottlenecks. This improves situational awareness, enables faster, data-based decisions, and optimizes resources. However, this requires high data quality and availability as well as the use of complex analysis tools, which can lead to misinterpretations. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are used in forward-looking maintenance, predictive demand planning, and dynamic route optimization. This increases material availability, reduces downtime and costs, and enables proactive logistics. Challenges include the need for large training datasets, the so-called "black box" problem, and ethical issues. Autonomous systems such as UAVs and AGVs are used for "last-mile" supply, the transport of ammunition and material in convoys, and route reconnaissance. They relieve and protect personnel, enable 24/7 operations, and increase efficiency and speed. Risks include vulnerability to cyberattacks, complex integration, and legal and ethical liability issues. The Internet of Things with "smart containers" and automated inventory management ensures seamless, real-time supply chain transparency, reduces losses, and automates processes. The challenges lie in the increased cyberattack surface, data security, and the interoperability of different sensor systems. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) enables the production of spare parts and tools directly in the field, as well as rapid prototype development. This reduces dependence on long supply chains, increases material self-sufficiency, and enables rapid response to unforeseen needs. Quality assurance, the protection of digital blueprints, and limited material diversity must be considered. Finally, blockchain technology ensures secure and tamper-resistant tracking of valuable assets such as weapons and ammunition, as well as the automation of processes through smart contracts. It increases security and transparency, reduces fraud and theft, and improves accountability, but it entails high energy and computing power requirements, poses scalability issues, and suffers from a lack of standards in the military environment.
The militia as a strategic reserve: bridging civilian know-how and military resilience
In modern armed forces, which must face both demographic challenges and rapid technological change, the militia is gaining new strategic importance. It is far more than just a personnel reserve for crisis response. Particularly in the area of logistics, the militia acts as an indispensable bridge between cutting-edge civilian expertise and military resilience, contributing skills and perspectives that are difficult to find in a purely professional army.
The dual competency profile: More than just “citizens in uniform”
The militia system is a traditional cornerstone of armies such as the Austrian Armed Forces and the Swiss Armed Forces, ensuring that the armed forces are deeply embedded in society. In Austria, the militia represents the lion's share of the operational organization, accounting for approximately 64% of the total operational strength. The decisive added value of these "citizens in uniform," however, lies not only in their numbers, but also in their dual skills profile.
Militia soldiers bring valuable and cutting-edge expertise from their civilian careers. While professional soldiers are experts in military trades, militia members often possess cutting-edge knowledge in civilian high-tech fields critical to modern military logistics. These include, in particular, IT security, software development, data analysis, project management, and the application of cutting-edge civilian logistics processes. At a time when technology is developing faster than military training and procurement cycles can respond, the militia represents a flexible pool of expertise. It gives the armed forces access to cutting-edge knowledge without having to build an expensive and lengthy full-time military career for each specialist. The militia is thus not just a "replenishment" of personnel, but a strategic "skill injector" that can protect the army from technological obsolescence.
Knowledge transfer and civil-military partnerships
The militia is the natural and most effective "bridge" between the civilian economy and the military. It facilitates a permanent, two-way transfer of knowledge. This exchange is increasingly institutionalized in concrete partnerships that create significant added value for both sides.
An outstanding example from Austria is the cooperation between the Army Logistics School and the TÜV Academy. The TÜV Academy offers highly specialized civilian training courses, for example, in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning technology. The Austrian Armed Forces can nominate its soldiers for these courses and thus benefit from civilian-certified training of the highest standard without having to invest in expensive teaching materials and instructors. Conversely, the TÜV Academy benefits from military expertise, for example, in the joint development of a course on "Establishing a Crisis Management Team," which teaches civilian companies military-proven methods of staff work.
Switzerland is following a similar path and has created a unique structure with the Militia Staff of the Army Logistics Base (LBA). Within this body, civilian experts from the logistics sector and high-ranking military officers work hand in hand to advance the strategic development of all army logistics. They utilize the body's "swarm intelligence" to develop solutions for complex challenges such as the decentralization of logistics or planning for an impending energy shortage. This staff acts as an extension of the Chief of the LBA and ensures that civilian best practices and military requirements are optimally integrated. Such models demonstrate how the civilian expertise pooled within the Militia can be systematically utilized to strengthen military capabilities.
Recognition and incentives: The “translation” of military competencies
For a long time, one of the biggest challenges to the attractiveness of military service was the lack of recognition of skills acquired in the military in civilian professional life. Employers often viewed their employees' service as nothing more than a burden and downtime. To address this problem, a crucial mechanism was created: civilian certification of military skills.
Austria has launched a groundbreaking pilot project in this area in collaboration with the TÜV Austria Academy. Certification programs have been developed based on military training documents that certify military-acquired skills according to the internationally recognized ISO 17024 standard. For example, a militia officer can obtain a certificate as a "Certified Leader – Unit/Company Commander" (Certified Leadership - Unit/Company Commander) This document "translates" the military qualification into the language of civilian human resources departments and makes the acquired skills in leadership, organization, project management, logistics, and crisis resilience visible and usable for employers.
This approach creates a win-win-win situation:
For the soldier
His military training becomes a valuable asset for his civilian career.
For the employer
They get back an employee whose additional, certified skills (e.g., in crisis management) represent direct added value for the company. The employee's absence thus becomes not a burden but an investment in their qualifications.
For the army
The attractiveness of militia service is increasing, which makes it easier to recruit and retain qualified personnel.
The formalization and civilian recognition of military training is therefore not a “nice-to-have,” but a strategic instrument to secure the personnel base of the militia and to strengthen the resilience of the entire state.
Challenges: Staff shortages and administrative burdens
Despite its strategic importance, the militia faces significant challenges in many areas. A central problem is the shortage of personnel in critical functions. In Austria, for example, there is a significant shortage of non-commissioned officers and officers, despite the overall staffing level being mathematically high. This indicates structural problems in recruiting and training cadres.
Another serious problem is the often inadequate material resources. The Austrian Court of Audit found that the militia's material resources were only around 27% full in 2021. Material allocated to the militia was often used in the frontline organization or on deployments abroad, significantly impairing the militia units' training and operational capabilities.
In addition, militia cadres, especially commanders at the unit and troop level, suffer from an enormous administrative burden. Tasks such as managing shift requests, qualifications, and material lists consume valuable time, which is then lost for the actual leadership tasks – training – leading soldiers. The Swiss Armed Forces has recognized this problem and is working on digitizing and simplifying these processes to relieve the burden on militia cadres and enable them to use their time more efficiently.
Ultimately, maintaining motivation is a constant challenge. While basic training is often perceived as interesting, motivation can suffer during the annual refresher courses if the exercises are not perceived as challenging or meaningful. The key to motivation lies in high-quality training, challenging scenarios, and competent supervisors who create a positive service experience.
Hub for security and defense – advice and information
Hub for security and defense – Image: Xpert.digital
The hub for security and defense offers well-founded advice and current information in order to effectively support companies and organizations in strengthening their role in European security and defense policy. In close connection to the SME Connect working group, he promotes small and medium -sized companies (SMEs) in particular that want to further expand their innovative strength and competitiveness in the field of defense. As a central point of contact, the hub creates a decisive bridge between SME and European defense strategy.
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Accelerated procurement: ways out of the innovation backlog
From Innovation to Implementation: Overcoming Hurdles in Military Procurement
The best technological idea and the cleverest logistical concept are worthless if they don't reach the troops quickly and reliably. Introducing innovations into large, bureaucratic organizations like the armed forces is one of the greatest challenges. The path from idea to widespread use is often long and rocky, a process known as the "valley of death" of innovation. Overcoming these hurdles requires new, agile approaches, a reform of procurement processes, and, above all, a cultural shift.
The “Valley of Death” of Innovation: Why Good Ideas Don’t Reach the Troops
The central problem in modernizing military logistics is often not a lack of innovative ideas, but the inability to translate these ideas into sustainable, effective capabilities for the troops. Slow and rigid financing and procurement processes prevent technological developments from reaching soldiers in a timely manner. While technology evolves in cycles of months, military procurement processes often take years.
The Bundeswehr's procurement organization is a complex network of diverse actors, with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) as the central, powerful player. The procedures are formalized and lengthy. General public tenders take an average of 8.5 months. The entire organization is strongly characterized by a "safeguarding mentality" aimed at avoiding any risk and any potential error. This striving for a 100 percent perfect solution, which is often already outdated upon implementation, stands in stark contrast to the fast, iterative, and error-friendly approach necessary for innovation. This cultural problem is often a greater obstacle than the legal requirements themselves.
Agile Enablers: New Ways to Promote Innovation
To escape the “valley of death,” armed forces like the Bundeswehr have created new, more agile structures and processes that are intended to serve as catalysts for innovation.
Innovation hubs
The Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub (CIHBw) plays a key role here. It acts as a fast and flexible interface between the Bundeswehr, start-ups, and established industry. The CIHBw identifies innovative technologies on the civilian market and tests their military applicability in short, agile projects. Its approach of promoting innovation from the bottom up (“grassroots innovation”) is particularly important. With formats such as the “Innovation Challenge Logistics,” ideas are taken directly from the troops and developed into prototypes. Successful projects such as “Yarded,” an app for digitizing the deployment management of heavy equipment, and “Baugruppentracking,” which raises the logistics processes of an entire agency to Industry 4.0 standards, have emerged from such initiatives.
Cooperation projects with the business community
In parallel with the agile hubs, strategic cooperation with industry is being advanced. The Bundeswehr Logistics Command (LogKdoBw) is leading the project "Future-Oriented Cooperation in Logistics." This project aims to establish long-term strategic alliances with civilian logistics companies in core areas such as material management, storage, transport, and maintenance. The goal is to firmly integrate civilian capacities and expertise into military logistics planning, thus increasing the resilience and performance of the overall system.
Bottom-up approach
The traditional top-down process, in which the General Staff defines a capability gap and the Federal Armed Forces Agency (BAAINBw) procures a solution years later, is unsuitable for rapid technology adoption. The new, agile models reverse this process. The troops, the end users, identify a practical, everyday problem and are actively involved in developing a solution. This early and continuous involvement of soldiers is crucial for developing practical solutions, ensuring acceptance among the troops, and boosting morale because the users' expertise is valued.
The path to the troops: How to convince decision-makers
To obtain the necessary resources and support for the introduction of innovations, military and political decision-makers must be convinced. This is rarely achieved with theoretical concepts or presentations alone.
The crucial step is the development of demonstrators and prototypes. A new piece of software or a new device must prove that it delivers tangible added value in a realistic exercise or test environment. The opportunity to "touch" an innovation and experience its impact firsthand is far more convincing than any theoretical discussion.
A prerequisite for a wise investment decision is also thorough and professional market research. Procurement agencies need to know which technologies and solutions are already available on the civilian market to avoid reinventing the wheel and to formulate realistic requirements.
An often overlooked but critical factor is the motivation and qualification of the employees in the procurement departments themselves. They must be enabled and encouraged to utilize the flexibility provided by procurement law for innovative approaches. Targeted training, for example, provided by the Bundeswehr University, and incentive systems that reward not only error-free execution but also the successful completion of innovative projects can make an important contribution here.
Legal and procedural accelerators
In addition to agile structures and cultural change, adapted legal and procedural instruments can also significantly accelerate innovation procurement.
Innovation partnership
This special procurement procedure, enshrined in the European Public Procurement Regulation (Section 19 VgV), was explicitly created for the development and subsequent acquisition of innovative solutions that do not yet exist on the market. It combines a research and development phase in which one or more partners develop prototypes, with the subsequent option for the contracting authority to procure the successful solution. This procedure is ideal for complex, high-risk projects in the field of IT, AI, or other high technologies, as it allows for flexibility and close collaboration between the contracting authority and industry.
Laws on accelerated procurement
In light of this "turning point," the German federal government has introduced laws specifically aimed at accelerating armaments projects. These laws provide, among other things, for exemptions from strict European procurement law in cases of essential security interests, for deviations from the requirement to divide contracts into small lots, and for strengthening European cooperation.
Raising value limits
A pragmatic but potentially very effective lever is raising financial thresholds. Currently, all Bundeswehr procurement projects over €25 million must be submitted to the Bundestag's Budget Committee for approval. At the same time, approximately 80% of all Federal Office for the Armed Forces (BAAINBw) contracts fall below a threshold of €500,000. A significant increase in the threshold for parliamentary consideration and for simplified national procurement procedures could relieve the Federal Office for the Armed Forces (BAAINBw) and the political process of a multitude of smaller projects and focus resources on truly large, strategic projects.
Ultimately, laws and new procedures are important tools, but they remain ineffective if the culture of management and decision-makers remains risk-averse. True change requires a willingness to take calculated risks, fail with agility, and learn from prototypes, rather than waiting for a 100% perfect but hopelessly outdated solution. Fostering a culture of "doing" and prototyping is the real key to accelerating logistics modernization.
Strategic recommendations: Ensuring delivery capability in every scenario
This analysis has traced the profound transformation of military logistics from a reactive service to a proactive, strategic capability. In an era of renewed great power competition and national and alliance defense, the ability to supply armed forces sustainably, resiliently, and under hostile pressure has become a crucial element of deterrence and military operations. Mastery of logistics is no longer a sideshow, but a central factor that determines success or failure.
Synthesis of core findings
Ensuring logistical performance in every conceivable scenario rests on four inextricably linked pillars that must be developed in unison:
Strategic realignment
The paradigm shift from ICM logistics geared toward efficiency to LV/BV logistics focused on resilience and sustainability is fundamental. This requires a clear commitment to redundancy, stockpiling, and protected, mobile logistics forces, even if this entails higher costs. Logistics itself is a goal and must be designed accordingly robustly.
Technological adaptation
The intelligent use of data, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems is not an end in itself, but the crucial tool for creating a transparent, predictive, and responsive logistics system. Technologies such as predictive maintenance, AI-supported demand forecasting, and autonomous transport convoys are no longer a distant prospect, but necessary building blocks for increasing efficiency and protecting personnel. However, their implementation fails if the data and process foundations are not established.
Human capital
Technology alone is not the solution. Strategically leveraging the potential of the militia as a bridge to cutting-edge civilian expertise is a crucial lever for bringing technological and procedural innovations into the armed forces. Civilian recognition and certification of military-acquired skills is a key tool for ensuring the attractiveness of militia service for highly qualified experts and their employers.
Agile organization
Rigid and lengthy procurement and implementation processes are the biggest obstacle to modernization. Overcoming these bureaucratic and cultural hurdles through new cooperation models with industry, agile innovation hubs, and a culture of experimentation is vital. A shift from a purely hedging mindset to a willingness to take calculated risks and promote bottom-up innovation is required.
Recommendations for decision-makers
From this synthesis, concrete recommendations for action are derived for the various relevant actors:
For the military leadership
- Establish a "resilience doctrine": Firmly embed the principles of resilience, redundancy, and "contested logistics" in logistics doctrine, training, and exercise planning. Resilience must become the primary planning objective, over mere efficiency.
- Promote bottom-up innovation: Strengthen formats such as innovation challenges and create space and resources for soldiers and lower command levels to develop and test pragmatic solutions to logistical problems. Establish a positive culture of error.
- Strategic use of the militia: Targetedly identify and recruit militia experts with civilian expertise in critical areas (IT, cyber, Logistics 4.1) and systematically integrate them into planning staffs, project teams, and exercises.
For the political leadership
- Accelerating procurement and budgeting: Consistently implement the laws passed to accelerate procurement and examine further simplifications, such as raising the value thresholds for parliamentary consideration, in order to reduce the burden on the administration and accelerate processes.
- Creating incentives for businesses: Develop incentive models (e.g., tax incentives) for companies that release their employees for military service. Promote and communicate the added value of civilian-certified military training.
- Investments in dual-use infrastructure: Prioritize investments in the modernization of critical, civil-military infrastructure (railways, roads, bridges, ports) to ensure military mobility as a core of alliance capability.
For industry
- Development of dual-use solutions: Focus on developing modular, interoperable, and robust technologies that can be used in both civilian and military contexts. Offer solutions based on open standards to facilitate integration into existing systems.
- Willingness to cooperate in partnerships: Proactively engage in new, flexible cooperation models such as the Innovation Partnership. See yourself not just as a supplier, but as a strategic partner of the armed forces in the joint development of capabilities.
Suitable for:
The future of military logistics
The future of military logistics lies in a highly networked, intelligent, and civil-military integrated ecosystem. Success will no longer be measured solely in tons transported or kilometers driven, but in the speed and precision of logistical decision-making, in the forward-looking anticipation of needs and disruptions, in the adaptability of the overall system, and ultimately in its unwavering ability to supply the combat force even under the most severe pressure. Logistics that achieves this is more than just a support system – it is a strategic weapon that secures peace and provides the decisive advantage in the event of conflict.
Advice – planning – implementation
Markus Becker
I would be happy to serve as your personal advisor.
Head of Business Development
Advice – planning – implementation
Konrad Wolfenstein
I would be happy to serve as your personal advisor.
contact me under Wolfenstein ∂ Xpert.digital
call me under +49 89 674 804 (Munich)
