Strengthening Navy’s supply chain

Navy added an important link to its supply chain recently as it proved the Expeditionary Logistics Team – Maritime (ELT-M) concept during Exercise Kakadu.

CAPTION: HMAS Warramunga arrives at Port Melville, Melville Island, Northern Territory, where the Expeditionary Logistics Team – Maritime provided food and fuel to the ship before returning to the sea phase of Exercise Kakadu. Story by Lieutenant Gary McHugh. Photo by Warrant Officer Shane Cameron.

The ELT-M, deployed to Melville Island, in the Tiwi Islands off the Northern Territory coast, involved the forward deployment of stores and fuel delivered to a ship operating in the area.

During the exercise, HMAS Warramunga came alongside Port Melville to receive 11 pallets of dry and refrigerated foods, as well as about 250cz (cubic metres) of maritime diesel fuel.

Officer in Charge Lieutenant Commander Michael Dunstan said the evolution, which took about six hours, was a game-changer.

“During Kakadu, the ELT-M demonstrated ‘push logistics’ where the provisions order was raised by the Fleet Logistics Directorate, submitted to the supplier, delivered to the end point by the ELT-M and then handed over to the ship,” Lieutenant Commander Dunstan said.

“The concept is to provide logistics to deployed ships via a forward support bridge which is scalable in size and capacity.

“To ensure supplies are delivered fresh, the ELT-M employed the use of temperature data loggers to track the temperatures of the provisions, both frozen and chilled.”

The deployment to an austere location like Port Melville highlighted the team’s ability to resupply ships when traditional contractors were unavailable.

Lieutenant Commander Dunstan said the ELT-M was ably supported by a number of logistics and transport units in Navy and Army.

“This included Joint Logistics Unit – North, 1 Combat Service Support Battalion and 36 Water Transport Troop,” he said.

Commanding Officer Warramunga Commander Dylan Phillips said having a robust expeditionary logistics capability guarantees a ship can maintain operational tempo.

“Modern ships are complex with thousands of parts, so when things break or wear out it’s important to be able to get replacements delivered to remote locations at short notice – the ELT-M allows us to do that,” Commander Phillips said.

The ELT-M was established in 2023 and is based at Fleet Headquarters. The team comprises two maritime logistics officers and two logistics sailors.

When activated, the ELT-M is supplemented by personnel from other fleet battle staff elements or force commands such as medical, communications and transport specialists.

CAPTION: Expeditionary Logistics Team – Maritime reprovision HMAS Warramunga at Port Melville, Melville Island, Northern Territory.

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