Bare Beach Logistics Over-the-Shore : An Outdated Concept?

This paper is a critical review of bare beach logistics over-the- shore (LOTS) operations. It examines the utility of the bare beach and asks if this method of LOTS is still viable for today's military. It begins with a general description of LOTS and describes unique characteristics of the bare beach operation. It then reviews the history of LOTS from World War II through the present day. This historical perspective gives insight into the utility that LOTS provided in past campaigns and what might be expected of LOTS in support of present day operations. It then investigates three constraints limiting the utility of bare beach LOTS operations: number and location of watercraft, sea state minimums, and infrastructure beyond the beach. This review of bare beach LOTS reveals that it is a high-cost, high-risk, and often unreliable operation that does not meet operational requirements of the regional warfighting CINCs. Next the operation is viewed from the warfighter's perspective. From this vantage, bare beach LOTS may be the logistics support option with the lowest operational cost, and therefore of great utility regardless of the logistical cost. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the need to improve and enhance bare beach LOTS capability to adequately support the warfighter.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Pattersonafb Oh School of Logistics and Acquisition Management is the author of 'Bare Beach Logistics Over-the-Shore : An Outdated Concept?', published 2000 under ISBN 9781423587200 and ISBN 1423587200.