Defense Primer: U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM)

Defense Primer: U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM)

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March 6, 2018
Defense Primer: U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM)
Background
TRANSCOM operates in 75% of the world’s countries. To
U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) is a
accomplish this array of mobility missions, TRANSCOM
functional combatant command responsible for providing
uses military assets but relies heavily on commercial
air, land, and sea transportation to meet national security
partners during peacetime and contingency response. Their
needs. The command was established in 1987 and is located
commercial partnerships are reflected in a large volume of
at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. TRANSCOM is comprised
contracting activities. See Table 1 for TRANSCOM’s
of more than 138,000 personnel including more than 45,000
steady-state contracting estimates for FY2018. Responding
active duty military members, members of the U.S. Coast
to an extended contingency operation would likely increase
Guard, and more than 19,000 civilian employees. About
the amounts significantly.
50% (73,000) of the TRANSCOM workforce is reserve
component personnel.
Table 1. USTRANSCOM Contracting Portfolio
Combatant Command Structure
Division
Programs
FY2018 Value*
For more information see CRS In Focus IF10542, Defense
Airlift Division
9
$2.0B
Primer: Commanding U.S. Military Operations, by Kathleen J.
McInnis
Sealift Services
6
$1.1B
Specialized Transportation
TRANSCOM’s
54
$1.9B
stated mission is to provide full-spectrum
& Support
global mobility solutions and related enabling capabilities
Information Technology &
for supported customers’ requirements in peace and war.
54
$221M
related services
The command provided transportation (air, sea, and
ground) in support of past contingencies such as Operations
Source: TRANSCOM
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom as well as
Notes: FY2018 estimated values of all contracts.
peacekeeping endeavors, such as Restore Hope (Somalia),
Component Commands
Support Hope (Rwanda), and Uphold Democracy (Haiti).
Likewise, the command supports humanitarian relief
Component commands fulfill roles in training, equipping
operations in response to natural disasters. In addition to
and resourcing the forces necessary to carry out
providing transportation support for DOD’s global
TRANSCOM’s global missions. TRANSCOM is
response, TRANSCOM annually manages over 550,000
comprised of three service component commands one each
personal property shipments associated with personnel
from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force:
permanent change of station moves. TRANSCOM reports
Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
that during an average week they conduct more than 1,900
(SDDC)
air missions, have 25 ships underway, and send 10,000
ground shipments.
SDDC is located at Scott AFB, Illinois, is the Army
component of TRANSCOM. It is responsible for surface
Figure 1. USTRANSCOM Shipping Providers
transportation and is the interface between DOD shippers
and the commercial transportation carrier industry. SDDC
is also involved in planning and executing the surface
delivery of equipment and supplies to all deployed service
members.
Military Sealift Command (MSC)
MSC, headquartered at the Naval Station Norfolk, VA,
operates 110 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that
replenish U.S. Navy ships, provide logistics, strategic
sealift, as well as specialized missions anywhere in the
world. MSC is responsible for sealift of military cargo and
supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition
partners. MSC also exercises operational command over the
Maritime Ready Reserve Force ships during contingencies.
Air Mobility Command (AMC)
Source Created by CRS based on USTRANSCOM data.
AMC, TRANSCOM’s air component, is headquartered at
Scott AFB, Illinois. AMC provides rapid transportation
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Defense Primer: U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM)
services in response to humanitarian crises and natural
Voluntary Tanker Agreement (VTA). The VTA is
disasters. AMC also provides airlift and aerial refueling for
another agreement established by the MARAD to enable
all of U.S.’s armed forces.
U.S. commercial tanker owners and operators to voluntarily
make their vessels available to satisfy DOD needs. It is
Subordinate Commands
designed to meet contingency or war requirements for
In addition to TRANSCOM’s component commands, there
point-to-point petroleum, oil, and lubricants movements and
are two assigned subordinate commands. Subordinate
is not applicable to peacetime re-supply operations
commands are established in an area or functional role to
normally address by commercial type charters.
exercise operational control within the assigned operational
area. The first subordinate command is the Joint Enabling
Considerations for Congress
Capabilities Command (JECC). The JECC provides joint
 As a combatant command, TRANSCOM depends on the
planners, communications, and public affairs support to
air, surface, sea and cyber assets provided by the Army,
combatant commanders to facilitate the establishment of
Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard to conduct its mission.
joint task force-capable headquarters. TRANSCOM’s
The military departments’ priorities for weapon systems
second subordinate command is the Joint Transportation
procurement may not fully align with TRANSCOM’s
Reserve Unit (JTRU). JTRU’s mission is to provide
priorities.
TRANSCOM with trained ready Reserve Component
Forces to support TRANSCOM’s mission in peace and war.


Cyber security: As reflected by Figure 1, TRANSCOM
relies on commercial providers for shipping. According
Transportation Assets
to TRANSCOM’s leadership, cyber threats remain a
The Commander of TRANSCOM, with the approval of the
major concern because approximately 90% of
Secretary of Defense, has the authority to develop and
TRANSCOM’s communications travel over unclassified
maintain contractual relationships between DOD and the
and unsecured commercial networks. TRANSCOM is
commercial transportation industry to cultivate concepts,
becoming more vulnerable because commercial assets
requirements, and procedures to provide responsive
are part of national security.
strategic mobility capabilities. Selected airlift, sealift, and
 Physical security: More than 40,000 vessels operate in
surface transportation readiness programs are as follow.
U.S. coastwise and inland trades; therefore, access and
security at ports, railroads, and other transportation
Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). The CRAF was
infrastructure around the world are constantly monitored
established by a joint agreement between DOD and the
as TRANSCOM operates its transportation and
Department of Commerce on December 15, 1951. The
distribution networks.
program was transferred to the Department of
 Fuel Price volatility: TRANSCOM operations and
Transportation (DOT) upon establishment of the
budget may be affected greatly by even small changes in
department in 1967. The CRAF supports DOD airlift
fuel prices.
requirements in emergencies when the need for airlift
exceeds the capability of the military aircraft fleet. All
 Political stability: Past military operations in the East-
CRAF participants must be U.S. carriers fully-certified by
West corridor from China to Europe had the effect of
the Federal Aviation Administration, and meet the stringent
supporting the development of commercial
standards of Federal Aviation Regulations pertaining to
infrastructure, which led to economic and political
commercial airlines. To provide incentives for civil carriers
stability. Rapidly changing political environments and
and to assure the U.S. of adequate airlift reserves, the
regional or local instability can directly impact
participating carriers are given preference in carrying
TRANSCOM’s ability to operate.
commercial peacetime cargo and passenger traffic for

DOD. As of April 2017, 24 carriers and 434 aircraft are
Relevant Statute
enrolled in CRAF. These numbers change on a monthly
basis.
Title 46, U.S. Code, Chapter 931 –Civil Reserve Air Fleet
Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA).

Secretary of Defense William Cohen approved creation of
the VISA program on January 30, 1997. Similar to CRAF,
Other Resources
it is a partnership between the Maritime Administration
DOD Directive 5158.04, USTRANSCOM
(MARAD) and the commercial maritime carriers to provide
Defense Transportation Regulation 4500.9-R
DOD with assured access to commercial sealift and
USTRANSCOM homepage. https://www.ustranscom.mil/
intermodal capacity to support the emergency deployment
and sustainment of U.S. military forces. MARAD was

established under DOT in 1981 and has responsibility in
areas involving ships and shipping, shipbuilding, port
operations, vessel operations, national security,
Lynn M. Williams, lmwilliams@crs.loc.gov, 7-0569
environment and safety. Through the VISA program,
Velma C. Gay, vgay@crs.loc.gov, 7-0315
transportation solutions are developed in peacetime to
IF10840
anticipate DOD requirements.
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