Introduction
In every war, long-term engagements have demonstrated the complexity of logistical planning. However, throughout the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, a systematic evaluation of modernized logistics pathways conducted through modernization equipment testing has been taking place, particularly regarding autonomous and semi-autonomous deployment systems such as drones. These autonomous deployment systems are frequently rendered ineffective due to warfare modernization challenges, electronic suppression, and systematic material limitations.
A significant example of the logistical challenges with semi-autonomous vehicles is found with the current technological requirement to have a direct-line fiber-optic connection between the drone and warfighter to bypass electronic jamming systems, which significantly reduces their capabilities. Despite these limitations, autonomous systems remain essential. To sustain autonomous systems in contested environments, the Army must implement mobile manufacturing units, initiate targeted training, and recycle battlefield waste into usable filament.
Mobile Adaptive Manufacturing Units (Field-Deployable Production)
The Army must create mobile adaptive manufacturing units capable of 3D printing and machining critical parts production in forward-deployed areas to overcome sustainment delays and resource constraints in autonomous vehicle operations. Material shortfalls in forward environments restrict both the repairability and combat effectiveness of autonomous vehicles. The Russia-Ukraine War has demonstrated that centralized repair depots and supply lines are frequent targets for attack and are often destroyed or cut off. These constraints have forced the deployment of single-use drones that cannot be repaired in the field due to material shortages. Mobile adaptive manufacturing units directly address this gap.
Test cases such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency expeditionary fabrication program and the Marine Corps’ containerized 3D printing labs have proven that deployable production can reduce or eliminate material shortfalls by providing immediate, on-demand replacement parts. As noted in the article “3D Printing Solutions for Contested Medical Logistics” in Military Review, May-June 2024, “Robust 3D printing capabilities would provide a secondary logistics chain and allow rapid replacement of broken or non-serviceable items.”
Additive manufacturing in theater has already shown success in cutting repair times and restoring operational capabilities. By bypassing vulnerable supply chains and enabling Soldiers to repair or replace mission-critical components on site, these mobile systems allow autonomous platforms such as drones and unmanned ground vehicles to redeploy more rapidly.
The Navy estimates the implementation cost savings to be significant, with up to 97.5% contracting cost reduction and a manufacturing cost reduction of 30% fabrication and 10% labor respectively. Compared to the long-term benefits, modularization through containerized units with 3D printers, computer numerical control machines, and extruders offer significant long-term benefits.
Mobile manufacturing will strengthen the Army’s ability to sustain autonomous equipment without relying on traditional supply chains. In contested environments where convoys are vulnerable or access is limited, the ability to fabricate mission-critical components on site reduces downtime and keeps systems operational. By enabling repair over replacement, mobile manufacturing ensures that autonomous platforms remain effective and combat-ready throughout extended operations.
Targeted Training for Sustainment Personnel on Advanced Manufacturing
Autonomous vehicle sustainment cannot succeed without Soldiers who are trained to operate and maintain advanced manufacturing systems. The Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program has proven that targeted, pre-deployment training initiatives improve readiness, and this model must be adopted to prepare sustainers for the technical demands of mobile manufacturing. NATO partners such as the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense have already integrated additive manufacturing instruction into logistics training pipelines, ensuring their soldiers can troubleshoot and employ this equipment in expeditionary operations. Additionally, the effectiveness of new sustainment technologies is ultimately determined by operator proficiency.
Even the most advanced mobile manufacturing systems risk underutilization without trained personnel. By introducing structured training through institutional instruction, unit-level exercises, and hands-on practice, the Army can transform sustainers into proactive problem solvers capable of repairing autonomous vehicles in contested environments. The cost of this initiative is relatively low when applying the H2F deployment cost as the estimation at $57 million per year. This solution will require updates to existing curricula, vendor partnerships, and additional training hours, yet the benefits will include significantly enhanced operational readiness and reduced downtime for autonomous systems.
Targeted training will equip the Army to sustain autonomous equipment where technical demands exceed traditional logistics skills. In forward environments, where time and precision are critical, having Soldiers capable of operating advanced manufacturing systems will ensure immediate response to equipment failures. By building technical expertise, targeted training can keep autonomous platforms functional, adaptable, and ready for continuous deployment.
In-Field Recycling and Additive Material Reuse (Trash-to-Filament)
The Army must strengthen autonomous vehicle sustainment by converting battlefield waste into usable resources for additive manufacturing. In Ukraine, drones are frequently relegated to single-use systems because repair materials are unavailable in forward areas. Civilian programs such as Precious Plastic have already proven that low-cost extrusion machines can recycle plastic bottles and packaging into 3D printer filament, while Navy and Marine innovation cells have tested similar systems aboard ships and at forward operating bases. Expeditionary logistics increasingly depends on sustainability and in-field resource reuse.
Recycling waste into manufacturing inputs will enable Soldiers to produce replacement drone parts, unmanned aerial vehicle housings, or repair components without relying on vulnerable supply convoys. This approach will reduce downtime for autonomous platforms and decrease battlefield waste. Earlier expeditionary fabrication testing by the Marine Corps confirmed this program’s significant cost savings.
Implementing this technology is critical for sustaining warfare. In forward areas where traditional supply lines are unreliable, converting discarded plastics into filament will give Soldiers the ability to produce mission-critical components on demand. This capability will reduce downtime, minimize resupply needs, and keep unmanned systems functional in combat zones. By integrating recycling into the sustainment process, the Army will extend the life of autonomous equipment and reinforce its logistical independence in contested environments.
Conclusion
The Army can solve this logistics deficit through three mutually reinforcing measures: deploying mobile adaptive manufacturing units to provide on-demand production, training sustainment personnel to operate and troubleshoot these technologies, and recycling battlefield waste into usable materials for additive manufacturing. The Russia-Ukraine War demonstrates the vulnerabilities of autonomous systems in resource-constrained environments, revealing sustainment challenges that the Army must be prepared to overcome. To realize their full potential, autonomous platforms require a logistics approach that is resilient, decentralized, and capable of adapting in contested environments. Together, these solutions will reduce reliance on vulnerable supply convoys, extend the service life of autonomous platforms, and ensure that sustainment keeps pace with future combat operations. Addressing sustainment constraints today will directly allow the Army to leverage autonomous vehicles — not as disposable assets, but as enduring capabilities that enhance lethality, flexibility, and operational tempo in multi-domain operations.
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CPT Jack Orion Harden-Ploeger currently serves as the operations lead for U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) G-4-357 and is an INSCOM G-4 Joint Operational Planning and Execution System officer. He is trained as a Project Management Professional, Six Sigma, and Agile. He has a Master of Science degree in acquisition and procurement management from Webster University, a Master of Arts degree in executive leadership from Liberty University, and is a Ph.D. candidate in public administration at Liberty University.
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This article was published in the winter 2026 issue of Army Sustainment.
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