Supply and Demand:Naval Logistics Supply and Support

摘要

Although it may lack the glamour of high-tempo naval operations involving frigates, destroyers, aircraft carriers, and amphibious support ships, surface naval operations are all but impossible without the support of the Underway Replenishment (UNREP) vessels that supply everything a modern naval task group could need. Anything can be supplied from UNREP craft to warships without the latter ever needing to switch off their engines and come to a halt. For this reason, the modern UNREP ship must be fast enough to keep up with the task group, and posses the storage space necessary to accommodate all of the supplies that it may need. Arguably, supply ships can make the difference between a Navy being predominantly a green water service, unable to project power at significant distances beyond its coastline, or a blue water force that does not need frequent returns to port to re-equip and resupply, allowing it to project power across the worlds' oceans.