Wrapping up the series on reducing resupply, I think it is important to note that there are certainly means of reducing demand across the three main commodity categories of water, food, and power.

For more combat oriented supplies like ammunition and defence stores, there may be arguments to be made about lightweight ammunition, improved skills at arms training to reduce expenditure, and the role of guided versus unguided munitions.

However, they are largely out of scope of this article series.

The fundamental question with water and food, and to a lesser extent, power, can we live off the land more? I think the answer is yes, although probably only with water in any practical manner.

This will need some risk acceptance, training, and a cultural change.

Power is arguably the biggest issue, and one which is pricier to get near.

Modern radios will be significantly more power efficient, but there is still much scope for better power management so that excess power is not let languishing in some batteries and not others.

Hybrid systems, right sizing generators, and having a crusade against 240v in command posts are all potentially fruitful options as well.

So whilst we can look at a collection of things that can produce reasonable reductions, none are simple, and none eliminate resupply demand.

We need to come at this from both directions, certainly, to reduce demand, but we also need to continually look at how we resupply in the context of the contemporary battlefield and a world of proliferating and increasingly capable drones.

A future series!