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Updated October 13, 2022
Defense Primer: United States Transportation Command
United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM
TRANSCOM’s workforce is approximately 73% military
or TRANSCOM) is a Department of Defense (DOD)
and 27% civilian, with a reported combined end strength of
combatant command responsible for providing air, land,
16,682 for fiscal year (FY) 2021. TRANSCOM finances
and sea transportation across the globe to meet national
most of its activities through the Transportation Working
security needs.
Capital Fund (TWCF), a defense working capital fund (for
more information, see CRS In Focus IF11233, Defense
History and Role
Primer: Defense Working Capital Funds). The TWCF
Established in 1987, TRANSCOM is headquartered at Scott
allows TRANSCOM to conduct activities with minimal
Air Force Base, IL. TRANSCOM is the U.S. military’s
need for annual appropriations: instead, DOD components
primary logistics command, conducting global mobility
and other federal agencies place orders for transportation
operations, enabling joint force projection and sustainment,
services, paying into the TWCF out of their own
and functioning as the lead DOD element for transportation,
appropriated funds. In FY2023, TRANSCOM anticipates
global patient movement, and bulk fuel management and
spending approximately $8.1 billion out of the TWCF.
delivery.
Organization
Historically, TRANSCOM has provided strategic mobility
TRANSCOM is comprised of a headquarters element, three
in support of several major contingency operations,
Transportation Component Commands (TCCs) assigned
including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring
from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and two joint
Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The command has
subordinate commands (see Figure 2).
also played a central role in emergency operations,
including the 2021 Afghanistan noncombatant evacuation
Figure 2. TRANSCOM Organizational Chart
operation, and security assistance efforts, including the
provision of materiel to Ukraine following the 2022
Russian invasion.
Activities and Resources
TRANSCOM uses a mix of military assets, U.S.
commercial transportation providers, and foreign
partnerships to move DOD personnel and materiel across
the globe (see Figure 1). TRANSCOM is also responsible
for shipping personal property to support permanent change
of station moves for approximately 430,000
servicemembers annually. The command reports that, on
any given day, it manages 1,730 ground shipments, 33 ships
in transit, 455 airlift sorties, and 14 aeromedical
evacuations.
Figure 1. Selected TRANSCOM Activities
In calendar year 2021, TRANSCOM moved:
Source: CRS graphic based on analysis of TRANSCOM data
Transportation Component Commands
Military Surface Deployment and Distribution
Command (SDDC). SDDC is the TRANSCOM Army
component responsible for surface transportation.
Headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, IL, SDDC uses
DOD capabilities and commercial partnerships to move
equipment and personnel by rail, road, and waterway.
SDDC also provides ocean terminal services, traffic
management, and transportation engineering globally.
SDDC is also a major subordinate command to Army
Materiel Command.
Military Sealift Command (MSC). MSC is the
Source: CRS graphic based on analysis of TRANSCOM data.
TRANSCOM Navy component responsible for sealift and
ocean transportation, providing logistics support, moving
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Defense Primer: United States Transportation Command
equipment and cargo, and supplying U.S. and partner
Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement
forces. Headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk, VA, MSC
The VISA program is a partnership between DOD, DOT’s
operates a fleet of 125 civilian-crewed ships to provide a
Maritime Administration (MARAD), and maritime
government-owned oceanic transport capability. When
industry. In a similar manner to CRAF, the purpose of the
activated, MSC also commands the Ready Reserve Force
VISA program is to provide supplemental maritime
(RRF), a fleet of 51 ships within the Department of
shipping capacity to DOD during national emergencies.
Transportation’s larger National Defense Reserve Fleet
Participating civilian vessels agree to commit oceanic
(NDRF) providing surge sealift capacity. Within the Navy,
shipping and intermodal capacity to DOD should
MSC reports to U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific
TRANSCOM issue a VISA activation, and in return receive
Fleet, and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research,
priority consideration for other DOD shipping business. 50
Development, and Acquisition.
U.S.C. §4501 et seq. and the Maritime Security Act of 1996
(P.L. 104-239) provide the authorities for the VISA
Air Mobility Command (AMC). AMC is the
program.
TRANSCOM Air Force component responsible for airlift
and aerial transportation across DOD. Headquartered at
TRANSCOM has never activated VISA.
Scott Air Force Base, IL, AMC utilizes military aircraft and
commercial partnerships to provide global support across
Considerations for Congress
its four core mission areas of airlift, aerial refueling, air
Sealift fleet recapitalization. TRANSCOM projects
mobility support, and aeromedical evacuation. AMC
that by 2032, approximately 70% of government-owned
operates a fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft, including the C-
surge sealift ships will reach the end of their service life.
5, KC-10, KC-46, C-130, and KC-135. AMC is one of nine
In FY2022, Congress approved the use of up to $300
four-star level Air Force major commands.
million in appropriated Navy Shipbuilding funds to buy
Subordinate Commands
used sealift ships for the NDRF; FY2023 NDAA
deliberations have included a proposal for MARAD to
In addition to the Transportation Component Commands,
design and build up to ten new sealift vessels. Congress
TRANSCOM has two joint subordinate commands: the
may consider the most effective blend of acquisition
Joint Transportation Reserve Unit (JTRU) and the Joint
strategies as well as the appropriate level of investment
Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC). JTRU is
in surge sealift capacity.
responsible for providing operational forces to augment
TRANSCOM’s active components, and includes reservists
Aerial refueling capacity. Under wartime conditions,
from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast
TRANSCOM assesses that the aerial refueling fleet of
Guard. JECC is responsible for providing mission-tailored
KC-135, KC-10, and the new KC-46 tanker aircraft
capability packages to assist other combatant commands in
would be subject to considerable stress, especially given
conducting globally integrated operations.
the age of the KC-135 platform. Congress may assess
Commercial Partnerships
requirements for the tanker fleet as well as resourcing
for KC-135 recapitalization.
TRANSCOM develops and maintains a wide variety of
contractual relationships between DOD and commercial
Contested logistics. Sustained conflict with a strategic
carriers to meet defense transportation requirements. In
competitor, especially in the Indo-Pacific, could create a
addition to its standard procurement and service contracts,
contested logistics environment unlike any in which
TRANSCOM is also responsible for two unique partnership
TRANSCOM has previously operated. Congress may
programs with the transportation industry: the Civil Reserve
direct TRANSCOM to develop options for the further
Air Fleet (CRAF) and the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift
diversification and distribution of transportation
Agreement (VISA) program.
operations to reduce wartime logistical vulnerabilities.
Civil Reserve Air Fleet
CRAF is comprised of selected aircraft from U.S. airlines
Relevant Statutes
that are contractually committed to support DOD in
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 6 – Combatant Commands
emergencies when the need for airlift exceeds the capability
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 157 – Transportation
of military assets. In return, participating airlines receive
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 961 – Civil Reserve Air Fleet
priority consideration for other DOD airlift contracts. Title
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 55 – Defense Production Act
50, Section 4501 et seq. of the U.S. Code (U.S.C.) and 10
U.S.C. §9511 et seq. provide the authorities for CRAF;
Other Resources
TRANSCOM manages activation, while the Department of
Joint Publication 4-01, The Defense Transportation System
Transportation (DOT) coordinates commercial peacetime
DOD Instruction 5158.06, “JDDE Planning and Operations”
participation.
DOD 4500.9-R, “Defense Transportation Regulation”
TRANSCOM has activated CRAF three times: to support
Operations Desert Shield/Storm (1990-91), Operation Iraqi
Freedom (2002-2003), and noncombatant evacuation
Luke A. Nicastro, Analyst in U.S. Defense Infrastructure
operations in Afghanistan (2021).
Policy
IF11479
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Defense Primer: United States Transportation Command
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