Potential Military Application of Commercial Intermodal Equipment Advancements: An Alternative to the Stockpiling of National Defense Features

摘要

The purpose of the study is to address alternatives to stockpiling National Defense Features (NDF)/Sealift Enhancement Features (SEF) and secondly to examine possible day-to-day commercial utilization of Government developed and procured NDFs/SEFs. Within the context of alternatives to stockpiling NDFs/SEFs the study explores and identifies intermodal industry technology advancements that may have military logistics application thereby, reducing the demand on the military to develop and procure their own specialized equipment. These technologies included advancements in Electronic Data Interchange, the Open-All Container, the Caged Flatbed, a Self-Propelled Intermodal Vehicle, the RoadRailer, Low-Clearance Rail Bogies, the Camelback Pallet Trailer, the Spine Car, the ROLLOADER, a Secured Modular Automotive Rail Transport System, Tank Containers, and All Side Opening Container. These technologies are in varying degrees of development. Suggestions on improvements that could enhance the military applications of each are contained within the study. Secondly, the study assesses equipment/technologies developed for the NDF/SEF program for their commercial utility. The study identifies those NDFs/SEFs that show the greatest commercial utility and how each may be employed to benefit both industry and Government.