General says Transcom is effectively providing security assistance to Ukraine > US Department of Defense > Department of Defense News

The US Transport Command’s mission is to deliver manpower, materiel and humanitarian aid globally by land, sea and air with speed and scale in peacetime and wartime, and this is fully demonstrated by the efficient and effective security assistance that arrives in Ukraine, its commander said.

Transcom Commander, Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost delivered the keynote address today at the National Defense Transportation Association-Transcom Fall Meeting.

“Today, our logistical capability remains on full display as we balance the rigors of our global mission while ensuring Ukraine receives the assistance necessary to defend its nation.” I bet [Russian] President [Vladimir] “Putin would like to have transportation and logistics experts like you,” she told the audience.

Even before the major Russian invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of this year, Transcom supplied Ukraine with weapons and equipment that would have a direct impact on the battlefield, Van Ovost pointed out.

“Our strength comes from the interconnectedness of our capabilities, the resilience of our global network and the commitment of our people. This is a strategic advantage that we must develop,” she said.

Besides Russia, China is another strategic competitor, she said.

Transcom is very aware of the threat China poses to Transcom’s cyber network, and Transcom has taken steps to ensure the network is secure, such as implementing zero trust, she said.

also, artificial intelligence and machine learning will play a role in the cybersecurity and efficient command, control and communications that Transcom requires to integrate and direct its intermodal transportation system, she said.

Another threat China poses is the long logistical journey from the United States to the far reaches of the Western Pacific, she said.

With that in mind, Transcom is focused on ensuring a secure and credible logistics gateway now and in the future to allies and partners of the Indo-Pacific Command, she said.

“To compete effectively, we must have agile, resilient, sustainable and sustainable logistics, all of which lead to delivering lethality. … To succeed, we must adopt the mentality that challenge is not synonymous with impossible and challenged is not the same as impenetrable. There are significant opportunities in this environment to leverage our expertise in deploying, maneuvering and sustaining joint forces,” she said.