ATP-4-90 Brigade Support Battalion Download
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Distribution Operations 18 June 2020 6-7 positions. Units must also have a plan to remove or destroy pre-positioned supplies, if required. There are several drawbacks to pre-positioned supplies including— Large stockpiles of supplies on the battlefield. Likelihood of enemy or local national discovery and pilferage. Lack of maneuverability of supplies once on the ground. Logisticians and maneuver forces may want to consider using pre-positioned supplies along a planned axis of advance of the BCT. Alternately, based on the sustainment concept of support and the BCT’s concept of the operation, pre-positioned supplies may be a good choice for retrograding maneuver forces or forces that have extended their lines of communication beyond a local haul resupply. Cache A cache is a pre-positioned and concealed supply point. Caches are different from standard pre-positioned supplies because the supported or supporting units conceal the supplies from the enemy whereas units might not conceal other pre-positioned supplies. Caches can reduce Soldiers’ loads, and units can establish caches for a specific mission or as a contingency measure. Units may conceal cache sites above or below ground. Above ground caches are easier to access but are more vulnerable to discovery by the enemy, civilians, or animals. Modular System Exchange Operations Continually exchanging configured loads of supplies on BSB’s distribution company flatracks, water tank racks, modular fuel system, and multi-temperature refrigerated container systems (MTRCS) and retrograding empty FSC flatracks is a resupply technique logisticians use when echeloning sustainment capability on the battlefield. Logisticians can apply this method of exchange to any modular system for commodities. Modular system exchange increases distribution throughput capability, extends operational reach, and prolongs the endurance of maneuver forces. The use of flatrack distribution and exchange forward in the brigade area increases the supported maneuver commander's tactical flexibility and decreases the sustainment transportation asset’s time on station when resupplying. A DSSB can also execute modular system exchange operations with the BSB or FSC. When logistics units perform exchange operations during large-scale combat operations, serial number accountability of flatracks, MTRCS, modular fuel system, and modular water tank racks is not a consideration or limiting factor. Units should maintain accountability of like items and not by serial number. The heavy expandable mobility tactical truck, also known as HEMTT, load-handling system (LHS) and heavy expandable mobility tactical truck palletized load-handling system (PLS) improves cargo handling by reducing container and materiel handling equipment requirements forward on the battlefield. It enhances the mobility of sustainment units by allowing supplies and equipment to remain uploaded for immediate displacement if required. Sustainment units can perform exchange operations with the family of modular systems including: flatracks, modular fuel system, MTRCS, and LHS and PLS compatible water tank racks, more commonly known as hippos. An example of using the modular system exchange resupply technique for the delivery of three combat configured loads between a DSSB, BSB, and FSC usually looks like— The DSSB transports the first configured load of MTRCS, water tank racks, and flatracks is from the CSSB and delivers it to the BSB. The BSB’s distribution company transports and delivers the first configured load to the FSC’s field feeding section. The DSSB transports the second configured load and delivers it to the BSB at the BSA. The BSB’s distribution company transports and delivers the second configured load to the FSC. The BSB’s distribution company retrieves the empty or partially filled MTRCS, water tank racks, and flatracks from the first configured load and returns to the BSA. The DSSB retrieves the empty or partially filled MTRCS, water tank racks, and flatracks from the first configured load during the delivery of the third configured load. ATP 4-90