text: Sustainment Operations During Competition Below Armed Conflict
  THEATER DISTRIBUTION
  3-35. Establishing the theater distribution network is an essential part of sustainment support and is pivotal
  to obtaining freedom of movement and action. It provides operational forces with the materiel, supplies, and
  retrograde of repairable material needed to maintain readiness. Theater distribution involves four networks:
  • The physical network includes the means for distribution (airfields, roads, bridges, railroads,
  structures, pipelines) and the capabilities for supporting distribution operations.
  • The financial network facilitates distribution operations by providing policies, processes, and
  systems for the use of fiscal resources.
  • The informational network is the combination of all information systems that support theater
  distribution.
  • The communication network links the complex elements of distribution. It enables capacity,
  reliability, and security of communication networks that support the rapid transmission of global
  distribution data. Real-time communications are vital for successful execution of distribution
  operations.
  3-36. The bulk of planning for Army sustainment in a theater is done by the ASCC and TSC. Planners focus
  on the challenges of geographically large and difficult to access areas. Planners develop means to generate
  and employ capabilities within the operational area.
  3-37. The ASCC plans and coordinates means to identify and mitigate capability gaps. When directed, the
  theater Army may contract for the establishment of intermediate staging bases (ISBs), possible locations for
  pre-positioned stocks, and possible assembly areas.
  3-38. Planners consider sustainment by type of support and across a continuum of possibilities to gain
  capabilities from other military partners, host nations, the sustainment enterprise, contracted support, and
  organic capabilities. OPLANs and concept plans are the basis for planning to evaluate total requirements and
  capabilities. For more information regarding theater distribution considerations, see Chapter 5.
  3-39. The following planning considerations may apply to multiple sustainment functions and are important
  for sustainers to consider during competition:
  • ACSAs.
  • International agreements.
  • Established contracts (theater, external [LOGCAP], and systems support).
  • Customs and agriculture requirements.
  • Commercial capabilities.
  • Requesting funding authorities.
  • Hazardous materials regulations.
  • Mobility constraints.
  • Noncombatant evacuation operations.
  3-40. Risk, uncertainty, and chance are inherent in all military operations. Sustainment planners must seek
  to understand, balance, and take prudent risks, rather than avoid risks, to ensure sustainment of the operational
  force. Risk considerations (both accumulated and deferred) and other considerations should be addressed,
  and mitigation strategies/alternatives developed as part of the sustainment plan. Sustainment commanders
  must assess and mitigate risks continuously throughout operations. The following is a sample list of risk
  considerations during competition:
  • Large APS sites constitute a high value target for potential adversaries (for both lethal targeting and
  information collection purposes). How will the loss of an APS site impact operational requirements?
  Can we establish multiple sites, and will the cost outweigh the force protection/redundancy benefits?
  How can the footprint be minimized while meeting requirements?
  • Are APS sites, financial and supply automation, and other systems hardened against cyber-attacks?
  How do you validate requirements received through electronic systems? Does the threat have the
  capability to change information verses directed denial of service attacks?
  • Is the operational plan over-reliant upon HNS, ACSAs, and contingency contracts to support combat
  forces? Is there sufficient redundancy and flexibility in the instruments to rapidly adapt to changing
  requirements?