The Logistics Challenge: Sustaining Maritime Forces in an Era of Major Power Competition
In an era of renewed major power competition, the ability to sustain maritime forces across vast oceanic distances has become both more critical and more challenging than ever before.
Vice Admiral Daniel “Undra” Cheever, Commander of Naval Air Forces, offered his perspective on how the U.S. Navy is addressing these logistics challenges while preparing for potential conflicts that could stretch supply chains to their breaking point.
These comments were derived from his three public interventions in the Summer of 2025, in his USNI Proceedings piece on the future of naval aviation, his interview at Hook 25 and his discussion held at CSIS in August 2025.
According to Cheever, naval aviation today operates at its highest readiness levels in over a decade, but this achievement comes with significant logistics coordination behind the scenes. Admiral Cheever acknowledges that “the challenges are in supply chain management, in the sustainment pieces of it.”
However, his confidence in addressing these challenges stems from what he describes as a proven “playbook” developed through partnerships with Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP).
This systematic approach to logistics management has been tested repeatedly over the past 18 months, as five carrier strike groups deployed to U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility. Each deployment was extended, demonstrating both the flexibility of carrier operations and the strain on logistics systems. The fact that these extended operations succeeded while maintaining combat effectiveness speaks to the robustness of current supply chain management but also highlights the importance of continuous attention to sustainment issues.
The partnership model Cheever describes represents a shift from traditional stovepiped logistics operations. When challenges arise, the combined team of operators, system commands, and supply specialists can rapidly diagnose problems and implement solutions. This collaborative approach has proven essential for maintaining the high operational tempo demanded by current global commitments.
Aircraft carriers represent perhaps the most complex logistics challenge in military operations. These floating cities require enormous quantities of fuel, food, parts, and munitions while operating thousands of miles from shore-based supply sources. Cheever notes that carriers provide “sustainment (massive fuel for air wings plus parts and repair)” as one of their core capabilities, but this strength also represents their greatest vulnerability.
The logistics scale of a Nimitz-class carrier is indeed formidable, verified by multiple sources. A single Nimitz-class carrier can carry around 3 million gallons of jet fuel and produce up to 400,000 gallons of fresh water per day for operations and crew needs. The combined crew and air wing can total nearly 6,000 personnel, requiring extensive provisioning. During high-tempo air operations, a carrier’s air wing can consume hundreds of thousands to over a million gallons of jet fuel per day, while intensive operations could push that number even highe
Recent operations in the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean have provided real-world testing of these logistics systems under combat conditions. Carriers operating in contested environments face the additional challenge of maintaining supply flows while potentially under threat from ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned systems.
The success of these operations demonstrates current capability, but also reveals areas where improvement is needed for future high-intensity conflicts.
One of the most significant recent additions to naval aviation’s logistics capability is the CMV-22 Osprey. After overcoming initial gearbox issues, the platform has proven its unique value in carrier sustainment operations. As Cheever observes, there are “not a lot of other things in the world, actually, none that I can think of that can deliver things out to the carrier very far, safely and then also return things from the carrier.”
The Osprey’s range and payload capabilities address a critical gap in carrier logistics. Traditional helicopters lack the range to effectively support carriers operating at extended distances from shore bases, while fixed-wing aircraft cannot land on carriers without arresting gear and catapults. The CMV-22’s ability to carry substantial cargo loads over 1,000 nautical miles provides unprecedented flexibility for urgent supply needs and personnel transport.
Perhaps most importantly, the Osprey’s medical evacuation capabilities represent a force multiplier that extends beyond logistics. The ability to transport “14 ambulatory patients well over 1000 miles off the carrier” means more personnel can return to duty rather than remaining aboard ship for extended medical treatment. This capability becomes crucial during sustained combat operations where medical facilities aboard carriers may become overwhelmed.
The tri-service coordination surrounding V-22 operations has also provided valuable lessons for future logistics aircraft development. The collaboration between Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force “was really well done, really open and together,” according to Cheever, creating a model for future joint logistics programs.
While not traditionally considered a logistics platform, the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker represents a fundamental shift in how carrier air wings manage their most critical resource: fuel.
Begining flight testing in 2025 and carrier integration in 2026, the MQ-25 will provide F/A-18s and F-35s with up to 15,000 pounds of fuel at ranges of 500 nautical miles from the carrier.
This capability addresses multiple logistics challenges simultaneously. First, it extends the effective combat radius of carrier-based aircraft by providing aerial refueling services that previously required dedicating strike fighters to tanking missions. Second, it reduces wear and tear on manned aircraft by eliminating their tanking duties. Third, it provides greater flexibility in mission planning by decoupling strike missions from tanking requirements.
The strategic implications extend beyond immediate tactical benefits. By freeing Super Hornets from tanking duties, the MQ-25 effectively increases air wing capacity without adding deck space or crew requirements. This multiplication effect becomes crucial when operating in contested environments where maximizing offensive capability while maintaining defensive coverage requires careful resource allocation.
Admiral Cheever sees the MQ-25 as “the key that unlocks manned unmanned teaming on an aircraft carrier,” suggesting that successful integration of this platform will accelerate development of other unmanned logistics and combat systems. Future collaborative combat aircraft and other unmanned systems will likely build on lessons learned from MQ-25 operations.
Looking toward future conflicts, particularly those involving peer competitors operating sophisticated anti-access/area-denial systems, Admiral Cheever identifies additive manufacturing as a critical technology for logistics transformation. The concept centers on enabling intermediate-level maintenance units to produce replacement parts forward, reducing dependence on vulnerable supply lines stretching back to shore-based depots.
Current 3D printing technology works well for polymer parts, but future military applications require the ability to produce metal components, including flight-critical parts that can be manufactured at sea and installed without additional testing or certification delays. This capability would represent “sustainment at the forward edge,” enabling carriers to operate for extended periods without resupply of certain critical components.
The implications for contested environment operations are profound. Traditional logistics models assume relatively secure supply lines connecting forward-deployed forces with rear-area supply bases. In a conflict with a peer competitor, these assumptions may not hold. Enemy submarines, missiles, and aircraft could interdict supply ships and aircraft, forcing carriers to operate with whatever supplies they carry or can produce independently.
Additive manufacturing addresses this challenge by shifting from a supply-based model to a production-based model. Rather than carrying thousands of different parts, ships could carry raw materials and production files, manufacturing parts as needed. This approach would dramatically reduce storage requirements while increasing flexibility to respond to unexpected maintenance needs.
However, significant challenges remain before this vision becomes reality. Quality control and certification processes for flight-critical parts must be developed that can operate in shipboard environments. Material science advances are needed to ensure 3D-printed metal parts meet the same durability and safety standards as traditionally manufactured components. Perhaps most importantly, the logistics management system must be redesigned to support production-on-demand rather than traditional inventory management.
Intermediate Level Maintenance: The Operational Imperative
The concept of intermediate level maintenance takes on new importance when considering operations in contested environments where carriers may be isolated from shore-based support for extended periods. Admiral Cheever emphasizes that intermediate maintenance units must have “the ability to repair quickly and put back into the aircraft, so that when you’re on a long logistics chain, you don’t have to fly everything out.”
This approach reflects lessons learned from recent extended deployments where carriers operated for months with minimal shore support. The ability to repair rather than replace components becomes crucial when replacement parts may not be available or when the logistics chain to obtain them is vulnerable to enemy action.
The challenge extends beyond simply having the right tools and parts. Personnel must be trained to higher standards, with deeper understanding of aircraft systems and greater capability to innovate solutions to unexpected problems. This requirement aligns with Cheever’s broader philosophy of creating “world-class maintainers” who understand their equipment thoroughly rather than simply following checklist procedures.
Modern aircraft complexity makes this goal increasingly challenging. F-35 systems, for example, involve millions of lines of software code and sophisticated sensors that require specialized test equipment and expertise. Balancing the need for advanced technical capability with the practical limitations of shipboard operations requires careful consideration of which maintenance tasks can realistically be performed forward and which must be handled by specialized shore facilities.
Industry Partnership: A New Logistics Paradigm
Admiral Cheever’s approach to industry partnerships represents a fundamental shift in how the Navy addresses logistics challenges. Rather than the traditional model of “government only and industry, hey, industry, fix that,” he advocates for integrated teams where industry representatives participate directly in problem-solving sessions.
This partnership model recognizes that modern military logistics increasingly depends on commercial supply chains and private sector innovation. Defense contractors cannot effectively support military operations without understanding operational challenges firsthand, while military logistics personnel cannot fully leverage commercial capabilities without understanding industrial processes and limitations.
The approach requires industry partners to deliver “on contract, on time, on budget,” but also acknowledges that sub-contractors and suppliers may face challenges beyond the prime contractor’s control. Early identification of potential problems and collaborative solutions become essential for maintaining the industrial base supporting naval aviation.
Recent examples demonstrate this partnership’s effectiveness. When the Eisenhower Strike Group needed modified F/A-18 configurations for Red Sea operations, NAWDC and NAVAIR collaborated to test and certify the “Murder Hornet” configuration within two weeks. This rapid response would have been impossible under traditional acquisition and certification processes.
Supply Chain Resilience and National Security
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted vulnerabilities in global supply chains that extend to military logistics. Many critical components for military systems depend on single-source suppliers or manufacturing processes concentrated in potentially hostile nations. Admiral Cheever’s emphasis on supply chain management reflects awareness that logistics security has become a broader or comprehensive national security issue.
Recent legislation and policy initiatives aimed at reshoring critical manufacturing and diversifying supply sources will impact naval aviation logistics over the coming decade. The challenge lies in balancing cost considerations with security requirements while maintaining the technological edge that American military systems depend upon.
The integration of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics into logistics management offers potential solutions to some supply chain challenges. By analyzing historical data and operational patterns, AI systems can predict maintenance requirements and optimize inventory levels. These tools can also identify potential supply chain disruptions before they impact operations, enabling proactive rather than reactive logistics management.
Training and Personnel: The Human Element
Behind every successful logistics operation are the sailors and officers who make the system work. Admiral Cheever’s emphasis on eliminating distractions and focusing on core competencies applies directly to logistics personnel. Maintainers must be world-class experts in their fields, understanding not just procedures but the underlying principles that enable them to innovate solutions to unexpected problems.
The current generation of sailors learns differently than their predecessors, requiring training methodologies that match their capabilities and preferences. Rather than lengthy lectures, effective training uses short, focused modules that can be repeated and reinforced. This approach proves particularly important for logistics personnel who must master complex procedures while working under operational pressure.
Cross-training and flexibility become increasingly important as platforms and systems evolve. A maintainer who understands underlying principles can adapt to new equipment more easily than one who has memorized specific procedures for current systems. This adaptability proves crucial as the Navy transitions to new platforms like the MQ-25 and future collaborative combat aircraft.
Looking Forward: The 2050 Logistics Vision
Admiral Cheever’s vision for 2050 includes logistics capabilities that seem almost science-fictional today but represent logical extensions of current trends. Additive manufacturing at sea will enable production of critical parts without resupply. Artificial intelligence will optimize maintenance schedules and predict failures before they occur. Autonomous systems will handle routine logistics tasks, freeing personnel for higher-level problem-solving.
And I would add that the autonomous systems that will be capable of enabling much greater intra-fleet logistical support will be both air and maritime autonomous systems. And key manned logistical platforms are being and will be enabled to operate with autonomous systems of part of a wolf pack concept of logistical support.
A notable aspect of maritime autonomous systems is they need not operate from a port to deliver supplies to carriers and to the fleet. And a system like CMV-22B does not need to do so as well. This means that working the pairing of an air system like the CMV-22B with maritime autonomous systems like the T-82 MARTAC USV could enable significant distribution of the logistics enterprise to support forward operating forces.
The integration of space and cyber capabilities into carrier and fleet operations will require new types of logistics support. Satellite communication systems, cyber warfare tools, and space-based sensors will need maintenance and upgrade capabilities that don’t exist today. The carriers’ “space, power, and cooling capacities” that Cheever identifies as advantages will be essential for supporting these new systems.
However, fundamental challenges will remain. The physics of moving large quantities of material across ocean distances cannot be eliminated by technology. Human expertise will remain essential for complex maintenance tasks and emergency repairs. The industrial base must continue evolving to support new technologies while maintaining capacity for current systems.
Conclusion: Logistics as Strategic Advantage
Vice Admiral Cheever’s perspective on naval aviation logistics reveals both confidence in current capabilities and awareness of future challenges. The Navy’s current logistics success stems from systematic approaches, industry partnerships, and the dedication of personnel who make the system work despite its complexity.
However, the transition to major power competition requires rethinking fundamental assumptions about logistics support. Extended supply lines, contested environments, and the need for sustained operations far from shore bases will test current systems in ways that peacetime operations cannot fully replicate.
The solutions Cheever envisions, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and enhanced industry partnerships, offer promising paths forward. But their successful implementation will require sustained investment, cultural change, and the same attention to detail that has made current logistics operations successful.
Most notably, a management system will need to evolve beyond the acquisition and stockpiling mentality alone to embracing the new ways to provide for embedded logistics built into the DNA of new platforms, AI delivery systems, and production on need aboard the fleet itself.
Ultimately, logistics capability will determine whether naval aviation can deliver on its promise of providing air superiority and sea control where and when the nation needs it. The unglamorous work of supply chain management, parts inventory, and maintenance scheduling may prove as decisive as the most advanced combat systems in determining the outcome of future conflicts.
The featured graphic was generated by an AI program.
For an article which highlights Vice Admiral Cheever’s perspective as preented this sumner, see the following: