PLA explores new mode of highway direct distribution support

The reporters learned on July 10, 2012 from the related department of the General Logistics Department (GLD) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) that the highway direct distribution support by joint logistics launched by the PLA since the beginning of 2012 has achieved phased results.

As of the end of June, 2012, the 13 PLA pilot units had dispatched 5,719 vehicles/times, scored 1.85 million kilometers in total mileage and successfully completed the transportation tasks of direct distribution for over 44,000 tons of various support materials.

Using the highway transportation strength of joint logistics to carry out direct distribution support is an important practice actively explored by the PLA military transportation departments in recent years to strengthen construction of the strategic delivery capacity and build up the projection-type logistics.

According to the briefing, all levels of the military transportation departments of the PLA took the actual conditions as the basis during the pilot work, and paid attention to the selection of different types of joint logistics support units to explore the support modes and temper the supporting contingent according to different support environments and conditions, having efficiently improved the comprehensive support capability of highway transportation of the PLA.

Transforming passive service to active distribution and shifting from multi-level turnover to direct support is one of the main achievements in the pilot work. All levels of the PLA military transportation departments have changed the traditional practice of submitting the application by the unit in demand of transportation, followed by the formulation of the transportation plan and the assignment of the transportation task.

Through accurate grasp of the situation of material planning and allocation, the distribution plan is scientifically developed in accordance with the principle of "zoning for the nearest reach and convenience". Later, the automotive troop unit (element) will be organized to fulfill the transportation and distribution tasks.

On the basis of summing up pilot experience, the general headquarters/departments of the PLA will gradually promote the implementation of this direct distribution support mode to the entire PLA.