Designing Bare Base Systems for Logistics Efficiency in the Joint Operational Environment: Wright Flyer Paper No. 28

The current service-centric approach to bare base capability has produced capability overlaps and logistics inefficiencies. The two primary bare base systems—the Air Force Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) and the Army Force Provider—have limited interoperability. In recent conflicts, the lack of joint doctrine or joint bare base architecture has hampered the ability of the services to achieve fully operational forward locations within a satisfactory length of time. The current approach to bare base operations is at odds with Department of Defense (DOD) transformation plans, which direct the development of joint, interdependent capabilities to support the current operating environment, in which interservice operations and rapid deployments are the norm. The DOD also has a domestic requirement to contribute to disaster response and homeland security operations, which may be slowed or complicated by service-specific bare base capabilities. To prepare for operations in a joint environment and eliminate inefficiencies, the services should establish a joint bare base architecture that is simplified, modular, and interchangeable. This study proposes a joint architecture that potentially would reduce the resources required to procure, move, store, and maintain bare base assets. Because expeditionary basing is one of its distinctive capabilities, the Air Force should be designated as the executive agent for joint bare base operations, with each service continuing to train its bare base support forces and meet its service-specific requirements.