If elements of the Austrian armed forces are deployed on an operation, it is necessary to supply units with ammunition. The current military ammunition transport chain is structured as follows: From the ammunition depots to the brigade level, civilian transporters are contracted. From the brigade level to the battalion level, own customary road trucks are deployed, and from the battalion level to the unit, the armoured systems are used. On the last mile, from the unit level to the fighting soldier, either off-road vehicles (non-armoured or armoured), or soldiers are used.

Problem: Supply vehicles (transportation of ammunition) are usually primary targets of the enemy/conflict party, since they do not have the same protection as the combat vehicles of the fighting parts. Furthermore, a functioning and continuous follow-up supply is necessary for every mission. Thus, the goal of TOM is....

Goal
The goal of TOM is to increase the safety of the ÖBH personnel in current and potential operational areas, to support and relieve the personnel on site, and to increase the efficiency

of tactical logistics in the operational area. Here, the focus lies on the 1st line and the follow-up supply at the battlefield during domestic and foreign missions of high intensity.

Most relevant expected results are:

The most important result is the specification and concept of a tele-operated energy self-sufficient military transport system and its evaluation within the framework of transport/transhipment case studies in a real environment. This system includes:
a) a concept for the automated (loading and) unloading of a 20' container on site

b) a concept for the autonomous transport of ammunition pallets (within a radius of approx. 1 km around the 20" container = "last mile" - transport of ammunition as part of the follow-up supply)

Further results include various analysed multimodal transport chains and findings on their logistical challenges, analysed environmental conditions and requirements, cost assessment, and case studies.