resupply

Resupply refers to the replenishment of stocks, equipment, fuel, or consumables required to sustain ongoing operations, activities, or missions. It involves forecasting demand, sourcing items, transporting them, and delivering to a point where they are needed, and then updating inventories.

In military contexts, resupply is critical to maintain combat power and sustain deployments. Common methods include ground convoys, aerial resupply, or maritime replenishment at sea. In humanitarian contexts, resupply aims to deliver food, medicine, shelter, and water to affected populations, often through coordinated logistics hubs and corridors. In space missions, resupply refers to delivering water, propellants, equipment, and experiments to spacecraft or stations, using cargo spacecraft such as rockets.

In commercial and civilian logistics, resupply supports inventory replenishment for retailers, manufacturers, and e-commerce, balancing lead times, safety stock, and service levels. Efficient resupply relies on demand forecasting, supplier reliability, transportation planning, and visibility through tracking systems. Inventory management practices such as just-in-time or safety stock strategies influence risk and cost.

Challenges include irregular demand, security concerns, damage or spoilage, weather, and infrastructure constraints. Disruptions can necessitate alternative routes, prepositioned stocks, or contingency plans. Metrics used to assess performance include fill rate, lead time, and on-time delivery.

Resupply is a core function across contexts, enabling continuity of operations and assistance.