Center for Joint and Strategic Logistics > Research

Suggested Thesis Topics

On this page you will find a list of operational gaps provided by Military Services, Combatant Commands, and Combat Support Agencies. These gaps have been phrased as thesis topics to allow students and faculty at PME and other academic institutions to apply their thinking and offer potential solutions.

If you identify a thesis topic you are interested in please email it to john.v.rios.civ@ndu.edu and george.k.hughes.civ@ndu.edu. You will then be connected to the appropriate POC to assist you with gaining access and gathering data to conduct the necessary research.

#	Category	Thesis Topic
1	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How should the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) and Maritime Security Program be recapitalized to meet Indo-Pacific surge requirements given a 50%+ degraded readiness baseline?
2	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How does severe degradation of communications compound the problems of contested logistics in a CBR contaminated environment and how do we prepare for it?
3	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How can micro-reactors, tactical solar, and synthetic fuel production reduce the operational energy demand signature of forward bases?
4	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How must existing regional support frameworks within INDOPACOM or EUCOM evolve to optimize joint and coalition operations, shared logistics, and host-nation support in a contested environment?
5	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How should the role of the Joint Deployment and Distribution Operations Center (JDDOC) evolve to lead theater contested logistics?
6	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	What expeditionary water generation (atmospheric, desalination) requirements support distributed operations across Pacific atolls and Arctic outposts?
7	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How can the Marine Corps formalize different types of Expeditionary Advance Bases, including Sensing, Strike, Staging, and Support, to meet the needs of the Joint Force?
8	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	What mission areas are appropriate for in-space manufacturing? Is this economically and militarily useful?
9	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How does the DoW overcome limitations related to the inability to share information with the Interagency, Allies & Partners, and Industry partners, that prevents national-level coordination, synchronization, deconfliction, and prioritization for commercial demand signals before a crisis manifests, to allow for targeted investment strategies on those critical dependencies at scale.
10	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How should pre-positioned stocks (APS-3 afloat, Marine Corps Prepositioning) be re-postured west of the International Date Line to survive a Day-1 PLA strike?
11	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	What would a quantitative analysis of DLA's most critical single-source dependencies and the development of a prioritized playbook for mitigating these high-risk areas look like?
12	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How do we ensure prepositioned stocks are properly setting a theater (right location, funded, and coordinated across other services)?
13	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How can the Joint Force best use internal and external resources to guarantee logistical supply and distribution in a multi-front conflict characterized by large geographic separation with limited access?
14	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How can the Department of War and its interagency partners dynamically prioritize and manage contested domestic logistics infrastructure to balance urgent military mobilization with civilian critical infrastructure survival?
15	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How do evolving mission sets and their rates of change dictate infrastructure requirements, and how can the Department of War better align infrastructure lifespans to directly match the specific missions they support?
16	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	How are operational level commands and JTF's organizing to focus on the link between the logistics and intelligence warfighting functions?
17	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	What are the current joint over-the-shore capabilities of the services to receive petroleum? How do those capabilities rank against risk factors of survivability, capability, speed of emplacement, redeployment, and cost to benefit. What are the commercial capabilities available and how do they rank against those same risk factors?
18	Logistics, Sustainment, and Supply Chain	Based on lessons learned and AAR data, how should the U.S. Army reshape tactical level ammunition supply, storage, and distribution operations to improve asset survivability and increase responsiveness in contested environments?
19	Medical and Force Health Protection	How can the Joint Force optimize the availability, cost-effectiveness, shelf life, and improve the survivability of the freeze-dried plasma containers to facilitate its comprehensive integration into standard battlefield casualty care?
20	Medical and Force Health Protection	How do we support Food and Drug Administration intent for protection balancing mission and partner FDA-like capabilities?
21	Medical and Force Health Protection	How can the Joint Force doctrinally and logistically establish a standardized, rapidly deployable "Medical Bridge" capability to provide sustained (30-45 day) sick-call and TCCC stabilization for up to 500 personnel, bridging the gap from initial deployment until a formal Role 1 or pre-positioned UTC is established?
22	Medical and Force Health Protection	What is the role of telemedicine, AI triage, and autonomous CASEVAC (ground/air) in degraded comms environments?
23	Medical and Force Health Protection	What blood product supply chain (walking blood banks, freeze-dried plasma, lyophilized) is needed when Golden Hour MEDEVAC is unavailable for 24-72 hours?
24	Medical and Force Health Protection	How can the Department of the Air Force streamline the PRP administrative, medical, and continuous evaluation pipelines potentially by leveraging secure data analytics, centralized adjudication models, or policy reform to reduce clearance timelines and sustain a robust, reliable pool of certified personnel without compromising stringent nuclear surety standards?
25	Medical and Force Health Protection	How can the Joint Force doctrinally and logistically establish a standardized, rapidly deployable "Medical Bridge" capability to provide sustained (30-45 day) sick-call and TCCC stabilization for up to 500 personnel, bridging the gap from initial deployment until a formal Role 1 or pre-positioned UTC is established?
26	Medical and Force Health Protection	How do we provide medical logistics-jointly (CUL) when Services do not use the same systems?
27	Medical and Force Health Protection	How should the Joint Force scale casualty replacement and individual augmentee throughput to sustain 1,000+/day casualty rates projected for a Taiwan fight?
28	Medical and Force Health Protection	How can the Department of War integrate secure, real-time medical intelligence and casualty data into the CJADC2 framework to enable predictive medical logistics and optimize Force Health Protection during Large-Scale Combat Operations?
29	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How can co-production agreements with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Poland expand allied munitions output while protecting U.S. IP?
30	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Analyze specific legislative barriers within key allied nations (e.g., Japan, Australia, Philippines) and proposes a bilateral policy framework to establish pre-authorized Mutual Logistics Support Agreements (MLSAs) that activate automatically during a contingency.
31	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Evaluate non-traditional authorities, such as leveraging host-nation commercial infrastructure and Title 10 security cooperation funds, to establish pre-positioned Class III/V stockpiles outside the standard ACSA framework in the First Island Chain.
32	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	A focused study on the bureaucratic and policy hurdles of U.S. and partner-nation information disclosure (Foreign Disclosure Office). Propose a standardized waiver framework paired with automated cryptographic data tagging.
33	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Examine the technical data architecture required to make Class III/V data interoperable across NATO and Indo-Pacific partner systems (STANAGs vs. bespoke systems) without violating Zero-Trust principles when satellite communications are degraded.
34	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Propose enterprise-level changes to CP-20 recruitment, including private-sector broadening assignments, targeted retention incentives, and integration with the Organic Industrial Base (OIB) to solve the two-year apprenticeship bottleneck.
35	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Analyze how enterprise-level commitments (3-to-5-year contracts) can incentivize sub-tier suppliers (e.g., solid rocket motor and propellant manufacturers) to invest in capacity, thereby driving down lead times for precision-guided munitions (PGMs).
36	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Assess the strategic viability, legal barriers (e.g., ITAR), and economic impacts of establishing licensed OIB munitions production facilities within key partner nations (e.g., Australia) to shorten the logistics tail during a conflict.
37	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Propose a structural reorganization of operational-level commands (merging elements of the J2 and J4) to prioritize logistics signature management, deception, and the protection of sustainment clusters from long-range precision fires.
38	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Develop a doctrinal framework for the Advanced Military Studies Program (AMSP) and War Colleges to force planners to synchronize adversary targeting cycles with friendly force Class III/V distribution models.
39	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Model the theater-wide ripple effects of reducing company-level bulk diesel demand by 50%. Analyzes how freeing up maritime and aerial distribution assets alters JTF operational reach.
40	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Explore the optimal fielding strategy for Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and microgrids, focusing on the acoustic and thermal advantages (survivability) over traditional diesel generators in a contested environment.
41	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How can we identify and reduce systemic barriers (legal, fiscal, policy, procedural) to prevent delays and enable rapid integration of commercial capabilities to support mobilization and force projections, without losing the will of the people to support, in crisis?
42	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How can Joint Logistics doctrine (JP 4-0) be revised to formally codify "Contested Logistics" as a warfighting function?
43	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What DoW-level guidance, policy, instructions, directives, authorities and clauses must be updated to integrate contracted support into force design, force development, force employment, and readiness reporting, thereby driving total force visibility?
44	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	Evaluate the Performance of contracts apart from HL9 that are often used in theater. These include the Stevedoring and Related Terminal Services (S&RTS) contract (ARTRANS/USTRANSCOM-managed), The Commercial Multimodal (CMM3) contract (USTRANSCOM-managed), The Universal Services Contract (USC-10) (USTRANSCOM-managed), the Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC) (Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP)-managed). Please include cost along with effectiveness/responsiveness.
45	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How must contract administration practices evolve to support distributed and forward operations in a contested logistics environment, particularly for INDOPACOM scenarios?
46	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What contractual mechanisms surge clauses, DPAS priority ratings, alternate delivery arrangements best ensure contractor responsiveness during high-intensity conflict, and where do current FAR/DFARS authorities fall short?
47	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What are the operational gaps created by the existence of multiple, disparate risk mitigation programs (e.g. VTM, SCRM, FOCI) to address threats due to our reliance on commercial support to operation? What organizational and policy reforms are necessary to unify commercial dependency risk mitigation efforts, given an increased emphasis on leveraging commercial capabilities amidst a reduction in the overall contracting workforce, to execute these arrangements?
48	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What policy reforms (DPA Title III, warm industrial base) are required to surge solid rocket motor production within 18 months of mobilization?
49	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How can DCMA's worldwide CMO footprint be leveraged for in-theater contract oversight during contingency operations without compromising audit integrity (10 U.S.C. 4105) or contractor accountability?
50	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	To what extent can the Department of War develop and implement objective validation criteria to verify that a specific operational event meets the statutory definition of a 'contingency' or 'emergency' under 41 U.S.C. 1903, thereby ensuring the application of emergency flexibilities withstands legal scrutiny?
51	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What DoW-level guidance, policy, instructions, directives, authorities and clauses are required to operationalize VTM at the combatant command level?
52	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What Title 10 / Title 50 / DPA authorities require modernization to enable wartime industrial mobilization on a 90-day timeline?
53	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How do ACSAs, FMS and International Cooperative Program activities contribute to operational resilience in an environment of contested logistics in the USINDOPACOM AOR? Consider the ironclad A&Ps in the AOR and their ability to contribute to burden sharing.
54	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How can the Joint Force modernize Joint Petroleum Over the Shore (JPOTS) doctrine, equipment, and TTPs to ensure the survivability and continuous flow of Class III (bulk) fuel into the European theater while mitigating the threat of adversary long-range precision fires and subsurface area-denial capabilities?
55	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	What contract adjustments to the HL9 model would increase effectiveness of a theater trucking contract. Pease review the construct, verbiage, performance measures and effectiveness of corrective measures.
56	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	As defined, the "total force" includes Military, DoW Civilians and contractors, however contractors are not captured under GFM, nor are they located on Time Phased Force Deployment Documents (TPFDDs). This creates masked risk for Commanders and can result in plans and strategies built on flawed foundations that are not managed or assessed for readiness. What reforms are needed to decrease this risk and give commanders an accurate look at the entire chessboard, to include their reliance on commercial support to augment Joint Force capabilities.
57	Policy, Contracts, and Industrial Base	How should U.S. Security Cooperation/FMS be restructured to deliver weapons within months (vs. years) during active conflict?
58	Technology, Data, and AI	Explore how the Department of War can integrate automated quality inspections, computer vision, and digital twins within ammo depots to reduce the physical manpower footprint required for ammunition surveillance.
59	Technology, Data, and AI	Investigate the methodology for migrating decades of GCSS-Army transactional data into an Azure-based staging environment to train ML models that predict fleet maintenance failures before they impact combat power.
60	Technology, Data, and AI	Conduct a critical analysis of the operational risks, including data poisoning by adversaries and algorithm bias, when utilizing automated systems (like Project Maven concepts applied to logistics) to push Class V to the tactical edge without human-in-the-loop verification.
61	Technology, Data, and AI	Evaluate the technological maturity, environmental compliance (TB MED 577), and power requirements of replacing bottled water supply chains with tactical water-from-air generation systems in expeditionary environments.
62	Technology, Data, and AI	What is the role of expeditionary additive manufacturing for battle damage repair of armor, rotary-wing, and naval platforms?
63	Technology, Data, and AI	How can a multi-criteria decision model optimize the allocation of airlift components across the triad of Forward Stockpiling, Point-of-Need Additive Manufacturing, and Homeland Reach back to maximize component availability while minimizing the logistical footprint in contested environments, and reducing the amount of reactive airlift needed during surge operations?
64	Technology, Data, and AI	What CONOPS is needed for contested logistics across the First and Second Island Chains when sea/air LOCs are intermittently denied for 14+ days?
65	Technology, Data, and AI	What changes to exercise design are required so that sustainment frictions (port throughput, airlift shortfalls, cyber disruptions, industrial surge) significantly impact campaign outcomes, rather than being handwaved?
66	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Department of War develop a sustainable model for maintaining high-end combat readiness while simultaneously meeting the demands of current crisis response operations?
67	Technology, Data, and AI	How can DoD depot capacity be expanded via allied MRO (Japan, Australia, Singapore, Poland) under the Regional Sustainment Framework?
68	Technology, Data, and AI	What standardization (fuel, ammo, repair parts, data) gaps most degrade combined sustainment with Japan, Australia, Philippines, and Taiwan?
69	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force operationalize distributed sustainment under PRC long-range fires (DF-26, YJ-21) using ACSA/MLSA with Philippines, Japan, and Australia?
70	Technology, Data, and AI	How can NATO's Enabling Networks and Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) be replicated/adapted for AUKUS, Quad, and Trilateral (US-JP-ROK) constructs?
71	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) be sustained when commercial insurance markets withdraw coverage in a hot conflict?
72	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force leverage real-time decision-quality analytics from AMC exercises and lessons learned to optimize sustainment operations in contested and distributed environments, including early detection of supply chain bottlenecks and failure points?
73	Technology, Data, and AI	How can DCMA's contract performance and supplier surveillance data be operationalized to give Combatant Commanders real-time visibility into sub-tier supply chain vulnerabilities affecting Joint Force sustainment?
74	Technology, Data, and AI	What cybersecurity architecture (Zero Trust) is required to protect AI logistics platforms from PRC/Russian cyber intrusion?
75	Technology, Data, and AI	How can predictive maintenance (CBM+) reduce dependency on contested forward repair when OEM technical reps cannot deploy?
76	Technology, Data, and AI	What is the role of commercial space launch (SpaceX, point-to-point cargo) in trans-Pacific sustainment under contested air/sea conditions?
77	Technology, Data, and AI	Which leading indicators within DCMA contract performance and quality data most accurately predict Joint Force readiness shortfalls before they manifest?
78	Technology, Data, and AI	What industries are at the greatest risk of saturation or failure under surge conditions and how does the DoW overcome information sharing challenges, to reinforce them and close these critical capability gaps, in advance
79	Technology, Data, and AI	How can DoW leverage modern artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI/ML) with opensource information to build and sustain agile decision making tools that enable rapid adjustments in a contested environment for each of the key log support areas?
80	Technology, Data, and AI	How can DoW leverage modern artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI/ML) with open source information to implement a standardized, enterprise-wide web-based market research platform impact acquisition cycle times, cross-component data sharing, and the identification of emerging technologies within the Department of War, as compared to the current decentralized methodology?"
81	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the DoD's existing and evolving additive manufacturing and sustainment policy architecture including DoDI 5000.93, DoDI 5000.92, DoDI 4245.15, DLAD Subpart 11.91, DFARS Subpart 209.2, and the DoD AM Strategy be better aligned, implemented, and enforced across the acquisition and logistics enterprise to operationalize risk-based qualification pathways for obsolete and legacy parts at scale?
82	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the DoW establish a more synchronous strategy for system rationalization and modernization, along with full implementation of a universal data standard so that data can be fully leveraged to maximize supply chain resources in an increasingly constrained and contested logistics environment?
83	Technology, Data, and AI	How must the Department of War adapt its sustainment paradigms to operate effectively when traditional lines of communication are degraded or denied? This research would explore new concepts of support such as decentralized distribution networks, autonomous delivery systems, dynamic pre-positioning, and additive manufacturing at the tactical edge to mitigate the risks of contested logistics and ensure continuous, resilient support to the Joint Force during high-intensity conflict.
84	Technology, Data, and AI	What type of government-furnished equipment and how much do we need to support a launch tempo appropriate to the regular replenishment of proliferated constellations? How does that vary with constellation size (300-1000 satellites) and replenishment rates ranging from 3-7 years? What other launch infrastructure do we need, including pads, to support the same? How do we generate and sustain a launch-on-demand capability (24hr call-up) for critical payloads? What would we need to do that for 2,4,6, or 12 launch vehicles?
85	Technology, Data, and AI	What are the sustainment implications of relying on commercial SATCOM and other space services? What contracting strategies are most effective for the sustainment of hybrid military-commercial systems? How can the USSF avoid vendor lock-in and maintain sustainment flexibility when integrating commercial services?
86	Technology, Data, and AI	How should DoW protect commercial logistics partners (FedEx, Maersk, BNSF) against Volt Typhoon-style PRC pre-positioned cyber threats?
87	Technology, Data, and AI	What manual/analog backup procedures must be re-institutionalized for ITV, in-transit visibility, and asset tracking in a degraded cyber environment?
88	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force more effectively integrate logistics and constraints into its future force design processes to ensure the resulting force structure is feasible, resilient, and sustainable in a highly contested, resource-constrained operational environment?
89	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Marine Corps implement Generative AI to conduct faster and more meaningful wargaming in support of the planning process
90	Technology, Data, and AI	Evaluate the performance of the Heavy Lift 9 (HL9) contract. Please look at the movement requirements and execution timelines for cargo that was requested to move via this contract during the period May 2025 May 2026. Data resides in LOADOUT, execution SMEs reside in the 1st TSC. Contract is managed by Army Contracting Command. Please include cost along with effectiveness/responsiveness.
91	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Department of War integrate modular energy solutions to eliminate the liquid fuel logistics tail for distributed terrestrial NC3 sites?
92	Technology, Data, and AI	What federated data standards, governance policies, and API frameworks must the Department of War and USEUCOM implement to securely share predictive logistics data and AI-driven supply chain insights with NATO allies and commercial Host Nation logistics networks?
93	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force use deception in supply chains and military distribution networks as a measure of protection?
94	Technology, Data, and AI	What secure, zero-trust communication frameworks can be implemented to safely integrate unclassified commercial supply chain data and host-nation logistics networks into the Joint Force Common Operational Picture (COP)?
95	Technology, Data, and AI	How should the logistics enterprise rethink reliance on global supply chains that may be disrupted or weaponized?
96	Technology, Data, and AI	How can Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) be used for more effective sustainment planning? What are the most promising applications of AI/ML for anomaly detection and maintenance forecasting in space systems?
97	Technology, Data, and AI	What could be a foundational data framework that can guide the design of robust ITV systems, inform technology investment, and establish a common language for data sharing among supply chain partners?
98	Technology, Data, and AI	What launch tempos are expected to support the rapid reconstitution of satellite proliferated constellations of varying sizes (300, 500, 1000 spacecraft) and design lives (3, 5, 7 years) in the event of significant spacecraft loss (1/8, 1/4, 1/2 constellation)? What are the associated requirements for additional Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and launch infrastructure to include additional launch sites if appropriate? What are the associated personnel requirements to maintain a very-high-tempo surge capacity? What infrastructure, policy, and personnel are needed to support immediate launch-on-demand (< 24, 12, and 3 hours) strategies? How can we ensure the sustainment of launch enterprise systems under kinetic and non-kinetic attack? What measures are needed to ensure the cyber survivability and sustainment of both ground and launch segments? What are the most effective concepts for rapid recovery, reconstitution, and mission assurance of launch systems and infrastructure? What strategies can be employed for degraded-mode operations and graceful degradation of launch capabilities?
99	Technology, Data, and AI	How can agentic AI applied to contract administration reduce cycle times for sustainment-critical actions such as delivery acceleration, surge production, and quality deficiency resolution?
100	Technology, Data, and AI	What competencies, credentials, and career models should the contract administration workforce develop to support Joint contested logistics and AI-enabled sustainment?
101	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Department of Defense evolve its Pre-positioned War Ready Material (PWRM) strategy in the Indo-Pacific through distributed networks, advanced sustainment capabilities, and leveraging allied partnerships to enhance materiel readiness and mitigate the risk of disruption in a contested maritime environment?
102	Technology, Data, and AI	The Department has historically relied on commercial capabilities to both mobilize and sustain operations, globally. Joint Doctrine now integrates commercial support early, into operational design. Has the Department evolved enough to treat commercial support as a readiness and operational planning issues, rather than primarily a contracting function? If not, how do we better account for it in force readiness assessments?
103	Technology, Data, and AI	How does the global proliferation of Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) and digital supply chain technologies degrade current nonproliferation and arms control verification regimes, and what modernized policy frameworks or supply chain forensic tools must the of the Air Force develop to mitigate this emerging threat?
104	Technology, Data, and AI	Planning for sustaining distributed forces in a contested environment requires changes in concepts of support, logistics feasibility, and assessment processes that inform strategy and operational design. What are key considerations required to enable the Joint Force endurance, resilience, and operational reach against a peer competitor?
105	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Department of War design a federated data architecture and policy framework that successfully democratizes 2nd and 3rd tier supply chain illumination insights across the Joint Force and Allied partners, while legally and ethically safeguarding commercial vendors' proprietary data and competitive advantages during both competition and conflict?
106	Technology, Data, and AI	How do the strict statutory and regulatory frameworks for indemnifying contractors against 'unusually hazardous' risks delay the DoW acquisition process, and how can these procedures be restructured to balance government liability with the need to attract critical vendors?
107	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force improve the development and use of Annex D and LSAs to better integrate logistics and sustainment planning, risk assessment, and global posture in support of feasible and sustainable joint operations in contested environments?
108	Technology, Data, and AI	What are the sustainment implications of commercial SATCOM and other space services? What would contracting look like for sustainment of hybrid military-commercial systems? How do we avoid vendor lock-in and maintain sustainment flexibility?
109	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force integrate AI-driven predictive logistics and autonomous C2 systems at the operational level (JOC/JLC) to dynamically manage and reroute sustainment assets during a crisis, specifically when primary ports, airfields, and communication networks are degraded or denied?
110	Technology, Data, and AI	How can DoW restructure long-term munitions procurement contracts (multi-year, block-buy) to sustain PGM production rates required for a 6-month Taiwan Strait scenario?
111	Technology, Data, and AI	What statutory or regulatory changes are needed to align DCMA contract administration authorities with emerging Joint sustainment requirements, including directed work, audit scope, and agentic AI employment?
112	Technology, Data, and AI	Which sub-tier supplier dependencies pose the highest risk to Joint Force munitions, unmanned systems, and critical platform sustainment, and how should mitigation responsibilities be allocated across DCMA, the Services, and DLA?
113	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force investigate how it can sustain and maintain weapon systems real time, in locations far from home station?
114	Technology, Data, and AI	How can Air Mobility Command (AMC) address any/all assessed shortfalls in aircraft parts, prior to start of open warfare or major combat operations against a peer competitor?
115	Technology, Data, and AI	How must convoy doctrine, signature management, and dispersal change when adversary FPV drones and loitering munitions can target individual vehicles at 20+ km?
116	Technology, Data, and AI	What is the feasibility of "logistics under the sea" using unmanned underwater vehicles for resupply to EABO sites?
117	Technology, Data, and AI	How can USEUCOM and the Joint Force effectively integrate commercial European inland waterway networks into theater sustainment plans to offset contested road and rail GLOCs, specifically for the movement of Class III (Bulk Fuel) and Class V (Ammunition) during Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO)?
118	Technology, Data, and AI	To what extent can unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) supported by unmanned surface vessels (USV) acting as ship-to-shore connectors be integrated into joint doctrine and NATO interoperability frameworks for autonomous "last-mile" resupply in high-threat, multi-domain Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO)?
119	Technology, Data, and AI	What role should DCMA play in certifying and monitoring NDAA-compliant unmanned systems vendors (e.g., the "Blue List" concept), and how does that role scale across Joint Force acquisition pathways?
120	Technology, Data, and AI	As the Air Force becomes more reliant on lithium batteries of various sizes, voltages and configurations, this will place added demand and challenges on the logistics and sustainment infrastructure. This demand will be stressed more due to the predictable civilian demand, as has been seen with oil during major conflict. So, how does the Air Force ensure that it has the batteries needed for deployment and sustainment of a combat force during protracted LSCO in the Indo-Pacific?
121	Technology, Data, and AI	What are the most significant issues in the supply chain for space-qualified components? What is the extent of our dependence on foreign sources for critical technologies like microelectronics, propulsion, and materials? What is our current surge capacity and how long would it take to reconstitute critical industrial base capabilities? How can industrial base incentives be tied to sustainment outcomes to encourage long-term thinking? What strategies can be employed to address the availability of obsolete or backordered parts for legacy ground systems?
122	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force redesign its aviation logistics and refueling architecture to rapidly sustain and reconstitute airborne NC3 platforms operating from dispersed, austere locations over extended periods?
123	Technology, Data, and AI	Since the end of the Cold War, DOD has emulated commercial Just In Time logistics techniques to reduce costs. It is likely the current Defense Industrial Base cannot produce enough parts/components for the Air Mobility fleet to conduct extended Major Combat Operations against a peer competitor. How can Air Mobility Command address this problem prior to start of conflict, using known and emerging technologies?
124	Technology, Data, and AI	What is the optimal interceptor-to-threat cost-exchange ratio, and how should the industrial base scale low-cost air defense effectors (e.g., Coyote, APKWS) to counter mass drone/missile salvos?
125	Technology, Data, and AI	How can exercise objectives for joint, large scale wargames be tailored to include analysis that generates appropriate demand signals for critical sustainment, especially in precision munitions and combat replacement of platforms that inform requirements for the defense industrial base?
126	Technology, Data, and AI	How can modern industrial policy strategies incentivize the defense industrial base to establish and maintain scalable surge capacity for critical munitions and hardware without compromising free-market principles?
127	Technology, Data, and AI	How should the Department of War amend joint doctrine (specifically JP 3-27 and JP 3-28) and policy (DoDD 3000.10) to establish a distinct, actionable process for designating Base Support Installations (BSIs) to sustain Homeland Defense operations independent of civil Requests for Assistance?
128	Technology, Data, and AI	How can Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages risk be mitigated for legacy systems (B-52, M1A2, F-16) likely to remain in service through 2040+ near-peer fight?
129	Technology, Data, and AI	How should DCMA supplier risk and contract performance data integrate with the War Data Platform (WDP) to enable predictive sustainment analytics across the Joint Force?
130	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Department of War achieve true global logistics integration in a multi-domain operational environment? This research would focus on overcoming the challenges of service-specific logistics systems and data silos. It would explore technological and procedural solutions for achieving total asset visibility and implementing a common operational picture for logistics, from the factory to the foxhole.
131	Technology, Data, and AI	How can a Joint Common Operational Picture for Logistics (COP-L) integrate Service ERP data (GCSS-A/MC, NTCSS, DEAMS) to enable AI-driven predictive resupply at theater scale?
132	Technology, Data, and AI	How should DCMA quality assurance and Government Source Inspection (GSI) data inform Service munitions stockpile, reset, and war reserve planning?
133	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Staff assess our partners sustainment capabilities in a standardized way across GCCs and display the data within a joint logistics common operating picture?
134	Technology, Data, and AI	What enterprise data architecture is required to fuse DCMA contract data (CAMS, PDREP, EDA, SPRS, IBIDS, etc.) with Service sustainment systems and the WDP to produce a single Joint sustainment common operating picture?
135	Technology, Data, and AI	What governance frameworks are needed to enable AI-driven sustainment decisions that depend on contractor PROPIN and procurement-sensitive data while preserving statutory protections?
136	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the pace of ground station communication technology refresh keep up with the growth in data needs from the space segment? What are the best practices for the lifecycle sustainment of ground control systems? How can we effectively implement continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) for software sustainment? What is the impact of technical debt in legacy space command-and-control systems on continued operations, and how can it be addressed? What are the benefits and challenges of cloud adoption for data resiliency and continuity of operations (COOP)? How can we ensure energy needs are met independent of national infrastructure in both benign and contested environments?
137	Technology, Data, and AI	Based on recent joint exercises, what decentralized logistics command and control (C2) models can best ensure the continuous sustainment of NC3 nodes when standard logistics information networks are denied or degraded?
138	Technology, Data, and AI	How do MFSC program staffing levels affect personnel availability, resilience, and overall Joint Force readiness during sustained or high-tempo operations?
139	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force and its Joint Logistics Enterprise develop and implement the tools and processes necessary to provide relevant information about the sustainment warfighting function and logistics capabilities/capacities in the dynamic environment we face that will inform commanders at every echelon such that their ability to command and control at the speed of relevance ensures campaign success?
140	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the USSF effectively trade-off design-for-sustainment principles with the need for rapid refresh of ground-based space capabilities? What are the most effective methods for modeling Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) for ground-based space assets and infrastructure to better predict and plan for sustainment needs? What are the best practices and cadences for tech refresh of telecommunications links between ground segments or systems? What level of infrastructure, ground system, and communications link redundancies will best balance cost and resilience in contested or adversary-degraded environments? What are the unique sustainment implications for ground systems supporting large, proliferated LEO constellations that need to be addressed in future system designs?
141	Technology, Data, and AI	How does the Distribution Lane Validation (DLV) process, which relies on collaborative forecasting and rapid stakeholder coordination for strategic air and multi-modal distribution channels, impact the Joint Force ability to meet emerging and contingency sustainment requirements? What are the potential operational risks or gaps if DLV processes are delayed, misaligned, or lack sufficient stakeholder input, and how can these challenges be mitigated to support for Joint Force operations? Students should analyze the effectiveness of DLV in supporting both routine and crisis logistics, and propose recommendations for improving its responsiveness and reliability.
142	Technology, Data, and AI	How often should we plan to technology refresh communications infrastructure between teleports, sensors, and operations centers in order to keep up with data demands?
143	Technology, Data, and AI	How can Theater Sustainment Leads better align operational timelines with strategic logistics realities to minimize sustainment delays during rapid response contingencies?
144	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force employ AI driven autonomous sustainment and machine speed readiness analytics to anticipate, prioritize, and execute sustainment actions in contested logistics environments, and what doctrinal and policy reforms are required to operationalize these capabilities at scale?
145	Technology, Data, and AI	Given the volume and type of cargo that was moved into and across theater during the period between May 2025 - May 2026, what US Army units could be leveraged in lieu of or in addition to the theater trucking contracts. Where would these capabilities be best postured in theater and what additional capabilities would be required to support an organic trucking model (Convoy Support Centers, HN barriers to US drivers, force protection, BMD/CUAS...) Please include cost along with effectiveness/responsiveness. Also include units available during this timeframe.
146	Technology, Data, and AI	What are the key interoperability sustainment requirements with the Joint Force? What contributions can allies make to space sustainment and resilience? What are the primary challenges related to security, releasability, and sustainment coordination with coalition partners, and how can they be overcome?
147	Technology, Data, and AI	How should roles and authorities between DCMA, DLA, the Services, and emerging organizations (DRPM SUBS, WDP PMO, CJADC2 logistics nodes) be structured to optimize Joint sustainment outcomes without creating duplicative oversight?
148	Technology, Data, and AI	What are the novel Supply Chain challenges posed by the adoption of autonomous convoys and drone resupply, particularly regarding GPS spoofing, hacking, and physical interdiction.
149	Technology, Data, and AI	How should the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) invest in alternate or supplementary locations to counter fuel distribution challenges and enhance supply chain resilience in the USAFRICOM AOR?
150	Technology, Data, and AI	Regarding the control of logistics and sustainment activities within a theater, what are the most critical elements of a distribution network (physical infrastructure, data, financial, labor/workforce, etc.) that can be hardened, distributed, or optimized to increase resilience of the Joint Force sustainment capabilities?
151	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Department of War structure multi-year (e.g., 5-year) sustainment contracts with prime aerospace manufacturers to maximize performance-based incentives for aircraft readiness, while simultaneously mitigating the operational risks of vendor lock-in and a loss of organic depot control?
152	Technology, Data, and AI	How can sustainment operations continue when PNT (GPS) and SATCOM are denied for extended periods?
153	Technology, Data, and AI	How can Theater Sustainment Leads and DLA formalize a co-investment framework to improve regional infrastructure and expand Defense Fuel Support Points (DFSPs) in partner nations?
154	Technology, Data, and AI	What policy, training, and equipment changes are required for tactical-level units to transition from a reliance on CONUS-based depot repair to a model of prolonged forward-level component repair in an austere, mobile environment?
155	Technology, Data, and AI	What EW, counter-UAS, and camouflage/concealment/deception (CCD) capabilities must be organic to sustainment units (vs. supporting maneuver units)?
156	Technology, Data, and AI	How should tactical sustainment structures be redesigned to support units moving into austere environments without the robust infrastructure (e.g., dining, laundry) typical of the last several decades and are there nonstandard methods to deliver sustainment (fuel, munitions, etc).
157	Technology, Data, and AI	How should Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement & Integration (JRSOI) be redesigned for ports/airfields under sustained missile and drone attack?
158	Technology, Data, and AI	What innovative methods and technologies can DLA employ to gain visibility and assess risks beyond its prime contractors (Tier 1) to sub-tier suppliers (Tier 2, 3, and beyond)?
159	Technology, Data, and AI	How can INDOPACOM best direct resources specifically for basing, storage units for war reserve material, and broader logistical support to ensure that the Air Force is able to successfully implement the ACE construct in order to preserve combat power while remaining combat effective?
160	Technology, Data, and AI	How can JLEnt and USTRANSCOM transition from reactive sustainment to a proactive posture across the continuum of competition, crisis, and conflict?
161	Technology, Data, and AI	What predictive human capital models and targeted force-sustainment interventions can the Air Force implement to optimize 13N talent management, mitigate fatigue, and ensure uninterrupted strategic deterrence operations throughout the Minuteman III to Sentinel transition?
162	Technology, Data, and AI	How should the Department of the Air Force, in coordination with Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and Joint PME institutions, integrate nuclear sustainment complexities and contested logistics into deterrence education curricula and experiential development programs to build a more capable, deterrence-literate logistics workforce?
163	Technology, Data, and AI	Informed by our current resource-constrained environment and the need for fiscal and strategic discipline, how should the Joint Force prioritize the sustainment of protective equipment to ensure the Joint Force is able to generate combat power in a CBRN contaminated environment?
164	Technology, Data, and AI	What enterprise level QoL assessment models, human capital interventions, and governance mechanisms can the Air Force implement to improve workforce resilience, retention, and mission readiness across nuclear career fields, and how can these be validated through recurring audits and data driven oversight?
165	Technology, Data, and AI	What predictive human capital models and targeted force-sustainment interventions can the Air Force implement to optimize 13N talent management, mitigate fatigue, and ensure uninterrupted strategic deterrence operations throughout the Minuteman III to Sentinel transition?
166	Technology, Data, and AI	What are the strategic, operational, and tactical benefits of achieving vertical and horizontal data integration across the Department of the Air Force (DAF)?
167	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force utilize effective and efficient fundamental traffic management planning and execution skills to mitigate OIB supply chain disruptions?
168	Technology, Data, and AI	How can artificial intelligence and predictive logistics models be incorporated at the tactical and operational level to optimize sustainment planning for rapid global mobility missions in contested environments?
169	Technology, Data, and AI	What specific forecasting calculators can be leveraged utilizing existing systems and historical trends, and doctrine, to provide predictive readiness at echelon?
170	Technology, Data, and AI	What is the cost benefit analysis of using flexible conduits in LSCO within the context of the INDO-PACOM theater vice wheeled vehicle distribution methods.
171	Technology, Data, and AI	How can the Joint Force leverage data collection systems to support the commander’s visualization of the battlefield and automate “triggers” that currently require Soldier initiated requests in the Indo-Pacific? E.g. the submission of a completed Mortuary Affairs Case should automatically generate a transportation requirement to the theater mortuary evacuation point. The completion of some number of Mortuary Affairs Cases should generate a request for human remains pouches. The change in status of a patient to Died of Wounds should initiate a pending processing at the closest Mortuary Affairs Collection Point.