The Military Bulk Fuel Distribution Problem

Maintaining U.S. military operations worldwide requires vast quantities of fuel to support aircraft, ships, and ground equipment. Military planners routinely evaluate the requirements for moving and storing fuel and the feasibility of satisfying these demands, particularly for illustrative scenarios or to prepare for potential conflicts. This article integrates several decades of applied research into a sequence of models representing best practices for assessing capability and planning investment in bulk fuel operations. Our case study shows how such modeling can aid an analyst in understanding the capabilities of a supply chain and/or advise investment in relevant infrastructure to support such operations.