US Army Prepares for Russian Ambush While Bringing Weapons & Supplies to Ukraine

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) Tanks, rockets, artillery and ammunition are all being fast-tracked to Ukraine by boat, convoy and perhaps even airplanes to Europe, an intense and dangerous task taken on by thousands of Army soldiers with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, a key part of Army Europe.

The logistics, sustainment and maintenance required for this task are simply massive, and US Army soldiers are moving supplies with the clear, real recognition that equipment lines could be attacked or sabotaged anytime.

“Contested Logistics”

Maj. Gen. James Smith, the Commanding General of the 21 Theater Sustainment Command, said his soldiers are trained to be ready for what he called “contested logistics,” meaning the possibility of an attack, ambush or saboteur intent on targeting weapons shipments.

“We always have to keep the context of contested logistics in mind.. We move with the sense that supply lines could be affected and we take that into consideration,” Smith told reporters.

Specific modes of transportation and routes or navigational details regarding the shipments to Ukraine are naturally not available for security reasons, yet the transport of critical weapons and supplies requires extensive collaboration between the US Army and its European allies.

“Our job is to get it from the port of debarkation to wherever we are going to transit into Europe and Ukraine. This is an opportunity to work alongside our host nations and allies. Host nation support is helping us move munitions,” Smith said.

Logistical dynamics are quite often a largely unrecognized reality of war which, not surprisingly, can heavily influence or simply determine the outcome. Without weapons, ammunition and safe transport, it’s fair to say an Army can become almost useless and extremely vulnerable.