Dive into the hidden backbone of military power in this episode of The War Lab, where hosts unpack the critical—and increasingly contested—world of logistics. From the moment supplies depart Fort Cavazos, Texas, to the high-stakes gauntlet of multi-domain threats at home and abroad, we explore how modern adversaries target the very lifelines that keep forces moving. Drawing on insights from the Association of the United States Army, a U.S. Army Command and General Staff College monograph, and the joint doctrine at the heart of U.S. military planning, we trace the evolution of sustainment from Vietnam’s ambushed convoys to today’s cyber-enabled, drone-swarm threats on the high seas.

You’ll hear how Distribution-Based Logistics—once hailed as the key to agile, efficient resupply—now exposes new vulnerabilities when every truck, rail line, and data link is a potential target. We examine hard lessons learned in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan: improvised “gun trucks” of Vietnam reborn as MRAPs; the urgent need for force-protection gear and convoy tactics; and the persistent struggle to fuse legacy systems into a seamless, secure network. Along the way, we map out how the Joint Logistics Enterprise envisions a resilient, information-centric supply chain—and why bandwidth, visibility, and decentralized decision-making are as vital as fuel and ammunition.

Whether you’re a national security professional or an engaged citizen curious about the future of conflict, this conversation lays bare the intellectual and technical innovations needed to keep logistics alive in tomorrow’s battlefields. Join us as we challenge assumptions, spotlight battlefield innovations that turned the tide, and ask the billion-dollar question: What must change today to ensure our logistics networks can survive—and sustain—forces in the conflicts of tomorrow?