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Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has provided the joint force and NATO allies with an unprecedented window into the operational demands of large-scale combat operations (LSCO) across a dispersed, multi-domain battlespace. For sustainment formations, the conflict underscores several enduring truths: survivability hinges on dispersion; operational tempo is sustained through decentralized execution; and sustainment organizations must be agile, multifunctional, and capable of rapid maneuver under threat.

The 16th Sustainment Brigade is in a unique position to observe these lessons within a real-world learning lab. As the only forward-stationed sustainment brigade in Europe, we are responsible for executing theater opening, theater distribution, and theater sustainment operations simultaneously. Furthermore, we serve as the national support element for all critical materiel transferred to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority.

Within the 16th Sustainment Brigade, these lessons have directly informed our approach to transforming sustainment operations in the European theater, ensuring that U.S. forces remain ready to enable maneuver and maintain tempo in contested environments.

Decentralized, Multifunctional Sustainment Task Forces

A central insight from the Russia-Ukraine War is the necessity for sustainers to operate in smaller, modular, and independently capable teams. The 16th Sustainment Brigade has incorporated this lesson through the development and refinement of the multifunctional logistical task force (MLTF) — a flexible, decentralized sustainment element designed to maneuver alongside supported formations while maintaining continuity of support.

The MLTF provides an integrated, scalable solution for sustainment operations, combining distribution, maintenance, medical, protection, and mission command into a single maneuverable package. By design, these task forces are modular, allowing commanders to tailor capabilities to the operational requirements of armored brigade combat teams, Stryker brigade combat teams, and infantry brigade combat teams. This flexibility mirrors operational realities observed in the Russia-Ukraine War.

Validation and Training

Through multiple Joint Multinational Readiness Center rotations, the 16th Sustainment Brigade has tested and validated the MLTF across multiple brigade types. These rotations have provided opportunities to stress-test decentralized sustainment concepts, refine mission command structures, and evaluate sustainment forecasting processes under realistic LSCO scenarios.

Smaller, agile task forces are less likely to be targeted by enemy long-range fires and unmanned aircraft systems (UASs). Modular design allows for efficient resource allocation, ensuring that distribution and maintenance capabilities are proportionate to supported formations. And each MLTF can operate semi-autonomously, reducing reliance on higher-echelon sustainment nodes and enabling rapid response to emerging maneuver requirements.

By adopting these practices, the 16th Sustainment Brigade has created a force that is not only agile and survivable but also capable of enabling decentralized maneuver across multiple echelons. This additional capacity must be sustained, maintained, and reconstituted as far forward as possible. The MLTF provides the structure for limited support of emerging technologies with reach-back capability, as needed, such as leveraging tele-maintenance (as demonstrated in the current Russia-Ukraine War), deployable contract teams within MLTF, and reach-back capacity from either the joint support areas or adjacent MLTF, advanced manufacturing, battlefield assessment, repairs, and fabrication, etc.

Allied Integration and Interoperability

A clear and critical lesson from the Russia-Ukraine War is the necessity of interoperability, not only in fires and maneuver but also in sustainment and protection operations. The 16th Sustainment Brigade has deliberately pursued integration with allied partners, particularly the United Kingdom, testing combined sustainment and protection operations during recent exercises.

This effort enhances our ability to communicate across diverse systems, ensuring common operating pictures and synchronized operations across U.S. and allied platforms; coordinate coalition sustainment operations, integrating planning, distribution, and resupply with partner forces; and validate force protection integration, harmonizing crew-served weapons, convoy protection, and base defense measures with allied units.

Allied integration reinforces a fundamental principle: no nation sustains LSCO alone. Early and deliberate collaboration ensures that, if required, coalition forces can operate as a unified sustainment network.

Further, 16th Sustainment Brigade has developed a robust leader professional development program that is executed every 90 days in which all command teams assemble with a discreet focus. The second iteration is NATO/coalition focused, when we invite our partner nations to share best practices and lessons learned, review training plans, and identify future training opportunities. These training opportunities are largely focused on theater opening, theater distribution, and theater sustainment operations. We routinely execute reception, staging, and onward movement operations in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve with several NATO exercises.

C2 and Protection: The Primary Challenges

While MLTFs provide significant operational advantages, they introduce challenges that must be deliberately managed.

  • Increased Command and Control (C2) Requirements: Decentralized sustainment operations demand robust, redundant mission command structures. MLTF commanders and support operations (SPO) liaisons must maintain situational awareness and make rapid decisions across dispersed elements.
  • Enhanced Protection Requirements: Agile sustainment formations face threats from UAS, long-range fires, and electronic warfare (EW)-enabled targeting. Protecting personnel and materiel in a fluid battlefield environment requires organic crew-served weapons, integrated counter (C)-UAS capabilities, and coordination with maneuver units for overwatch and security.

These challenges underscore the importance of training, mission command rigor, and disciplined execution. They also mirror the conditions faced by Ukrainian sustainment forces, highlighting the operational realities any U.S. sustainment formation must anticipate in the European theater.

Addressing the Training Deficit

The adoption of the MLTF concept and lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine War has revealed a critical training gap in our force structure: junior officers and mid-grade NCOs often lack the experience and confidence to execute decentralized sustainment operations under threat. This deficit is particularly acute in areas such as the following:

  • Mission command at the MLTF level.
  • Survivability and signature management.
  • Convoy and movement operations under threat.
  • Integrated protection and crew-served weapons employment.
  • Cross-functional sustainment planning and forecasting.

To address this gap, the 16th Sustainment Brigade has implemented targeted leader development initiatives, including the following:

  • Junior Leader Certification Programs: Officers and NCOs complete recurring MLTF command and staff exercises designed to replicate LSCO scenarios.
  • Garrison-Based LSCO Training: Regular home-station training cycles simulate operational tempo, convoy operations under threat, and sustainment decision making.
  • Joint and Allied Integration Exercises: Incorporating coalition sustainment and protection platforms into MLTF operations to develop interoperability skills.
  • Mentorship and Feedback Loops: Commanders actively coach junior leaders, emphasizing the exercise of initiative, disciplined decision-making, and accountability.
  • Leveraging Data to Gain Decision Dominance: We are implementing efforts to streamline the common-user land transportation allocation process and movement request process and using artificial intelligence to catch missed suspenses and flag potential issues for leader engagement. This is a U.S. system, whereas we also leverage Logistics Functional Area Services, the system of record for NATO, which offers similar capability. We are exploring the option of connecting the systems.

By systematically investing in leader development, the 16th Sustainment Brigade ensures that junior officers and NCOs possess the competence and confidence to operate independently, maintain sustainment tempo, and exploit operational opportunities.

Applying the Principles of Sustainment

All MLTF operations are grounded in the Army’s principles of sustainment, which inform planning, training, and execution.

  • Integration: MLTFs are embedded in the maneuver plan and operate in direct support of brigade and division-level objectives.
  • Anticipation: Forecasting and SPO synchronization ensure resources are available at the right place and time.
  • Responsiveness: Agile, tailorable MLTFs meet the immediate sustainment needs of maneuver units.
  • Simplicity: Standardized procedures reduce friction and enhance decision-making under stress.
  • Economy: Task forces are sized according to operational requirements, conserving personnel and materiel.
  • Survivability: Dispersal, camouflage, and protection measures reduce the likelihood of attrition.
  • Continuity: Redundant C2 and logistics networks ensure uninterrupted sustainment.
  • Improvisation: MLTFs adapt to terrain, emerging threats, and partner capabilities.

Grounding training and operations in these principles ensures that sustainment is predictable, reliable, and resilient, even in the most contested environments.

Threat-Driven Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs)

The Russia-Ukraine War underscores the variety of threats sustainment formations may face.

  • UAS Threats: Frequent displacement, signature reduction, and organic C-UAS integration mitigate the risk of reconnaissance and targeting.
  • Long-Range Fires: Dispersed resupply nodes, minimized dwell time, and camouflage/deception measures protect personnel and materiel.
  • EW: High frequency and frequency modulation redundancy, analog mapping, and strict communications discipline preserve C2 in degraded environments.
  • Integrated Protection: Convoy and base defense drills, crew-served weapons proficiency, and coordination with maneuver forces enhance survivability.

Adopting these TTPs allows MLTFs to operate safely and effectively in a contested battlespace.

Replicating the MLTF Model Across the Force

The 16th Sustainment Brigade’s experience provides a replicable model for other brigades preparing for LSCO.

  • Establish MLTFs in Garrison: Develop modular, mobile sustainment teams before deployment.
  • Train Junior Leaders Rigorously: Certify officers and NCOs in decentralized sustainment operations.
  • Invest in SPO Capability: Sustainment forecasting, synchronization, and battle tracking are decisive enablers.
  • Integrate Allies Early: Coalition sustainment and protection enhance interoperability and effectiveness.
  • Prioritize Survivability: Dispersed operations, protection, and signature management reduce targeting risk.
  • Enforce Reporting and Forecasting Discipline: Accurate information is critical to sustainment tempo and operational success.

This approach offers sustainment brigades a way to maintain operational reach, enable decentralized maneuver, and sustain tempo in complex LSCO scenarios.

Conclusion

The Russia-Ukraine War reaffirms a fundamental truth: sustainment remains the pacing factor in LSCO. By embracing decentralized, multifunctional sustainment formations, integrating allies, strengthening C2 and protection capabilities, and aggressively developing junior leaders, the 16th Sustainment Brigade is adapting to meet the demands of the European theater.

As the Army’s forward sustainment brigade in Europe, we continue to apply these lessons to ensure readiness, relevance, and lethality. Through disciplined training, modular task forces, and rigorous leader development, we will enable maneuver, maintain tempo, and sustain victory across the full spectrum of conflict.
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COL Christopher M. Richardson serves as the commander for 16th Sustainment Brigade, forward stationed in Baumholder, Germany. He previously served as the chief of staff for 21st Theater Support Command, G-4 for 1st Infantry Division, and commanded the Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. He was commissioned as an Ordnance officer from Officer Candidate School as a second lieutenant. He earned a certificate in Supply Chain Management Analytics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and holds a Master of Arts degree in management and leadership and a Master of Business Administration degree. He graduated Senior Service College as a fellow at MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics.

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This article was published in the summer 2026 edition of Army Sustainment Professional Bulletin.

RELATED LINKS

Army Sustainment on army.mil

Army Sustainment on Line of Departure

Army Sustainment on DVIDS

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