Logistics Maneuver Made Easy

Views on Sustainment Combat Power Combat power is the ability of a unit to fight. The tactical-level role is to generate and sustain combat power as far forward as the foxhole. The S-4 projects status of unit’s combat power based on increments ranging from 24, 48, and 72 hours and longer if required. A unit’s combat power is measured on their ability to generate and maintain combat capability above a certain percentage, that the commander sets, where the unit can conduct combat operation at their echelon, and if the units combat power falls below that percentage, by either main weapon system or overall weapon systems, the commander has dictated the unit will either stop or not conduct combat operations. An example would be the commander stated, “For the units to conduct combat operations or engage the enemy the units’ main weapon systems must be above 70%. Using the Combat Power Report Do not get me wrong, the concept addressed above is a good and sound way to measure a unit’s capability. The issue I have is with the way most units track combat power by weapon system or combining all weapon systems. Most S-4’s and their maintenance personnel account for, within the combat power percentage, is only the equipment, and doesn’t take into consideration availability of crews to man the systems. To better explain the above state let’s look at the following example; when the commander looks at the combat power tracker he sees that his main weapon systems bubble is “Amber” showing 75% combat power. The issue is that is only the equipment at 75%, the unit lacks the sets of crews to man the systems, and so the real percentage for overall equipment and crew’s availability is 65%. Way below the commander’s percentage set for the unit to conduct combat operations or engage the enemy. So how do we fix the problem? The answer to this scenario is to develop a tracking system that identifies available equipment and crews, and matches both factors within the combat power percentage so the commander is now seeing true asset availability. Not only does this provide the commander with an accurate assessment, but identifies to the staff (S-3, S-4 and S-1 sections) shortfalls within equipment and personnel that they can use to alert higher headquarters for assistants. Remember the goal for sustainment staffs at all levels is to generate and sustain combat power at the tactical level. By merging both equipment and crew’s availability on one chart helps to create a Common Operating Picture providing the operations center a true data information snapshot of status of battle losses, combat power, and future combat power.