PRODUCT SUPPORT
where they deliver the greatest read - iness gains while reducing second destination transportation costs and avoiding duplication across the in - dustrial base. As these bilateral Pathway Proj - ects demonstrate the tangible bene - fits of co-sustainment in action, they also lay the groundwork for broader strategic coordination. The lessons learned and trust built through these efforts serve as a springboard for expanding into multilateral forums, where shared priorities and comple - mentary capabilities can be aligned across regions and domains. This evolution from bilateral execution to multilateral synchronization re - flects the department’s commitment to institutionalizing co-sustainment as a foundational element of global logistics resilience. RSF also aligns with the depart - ment’s shift to portfolio acquisition executives by providing a sustain - ment perspective that spans multi - ple systems and regions. Co-sustain- ment networks are inherently cross- platform and cross-domain, enabling portfolio leaders to make trade-offs that optimize readiness across fami - lies of systems rather than within isolated programs. By embedding sustainment considerations into portfolio management, RSF ensures that acquisition decisions account for life-cycle support, industrial base re - silience, and allied collaboration from the outset. The United States is advancing co-sustainment through a network
of bilateral and multilateral forums that emphasize shared logistics, in - dustrial collaboration, and regional resilience. Bilateral efforts, such as the U.S.–Singapore Joint Logistics Bilateral Forum and the U.S.–Korea Logistics Cooperation Committee, are driving progress in ship repair, afloat logistics, depot-level maintenance, and burden sharing. Initiatives with Japan and Aus - tralia are expanding forward storage and shared repair capacity. Bilateral mechanisms like the Australia–U.S. Defense Acquisition Capability Com - mittee’s Co-Sustainment Synchroni - zation Board are integrating MRO ac - tivities across shared platforms while shaping supply chain strategies to en - hance joint readiness. The Partnership for Indo-Pacific In - dustrial Resilience further strength - ens supply chains and promotes collaborative investment through a dedicated sustainment workstream. These engagements, especially with Five Eyes allies (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and Indo-Pacific partners, reflect a growing consensus that co- sustainment is a shared enterprise that enhances the readiness and resil - ience of all participating stakeholders. Early co-sustainment efforts have underscored that trust and align - ment with partner priorities often matter more than technology. Small wins, such as successful ship repairs, shared warehousing, and multina - tional tabletop exercises, help build momentum and credibility. In turn,
multilateral forums amplify these bi - lateral successes by inspiring broader participation and replication. These dynamics are now accelerating across Services, nations, and domains. As a result, the department, its allies, and industry are positioned to move from experimentation to institutionaliza - tion, where co-sustainment becomes the norm rather than the exception. RSF partnerships with allies, part - ners, and the organic industrial base offer industry an opportunity to part - ner on readiness, driving support for components that may lack com - pelling business cases, while also opening new markets for trade. For example, a U.S. original equipment manufacturer is working with U.S. al - lies to establish airborne radar and electro-optical/infrared component maintenance sites in both Europe and the Pacific to reduce repair times and cut second-destination transit costs. This is not the only case—many other companies both big and small are le - veraging increased ally spending and the call for developing dispersed co- sustainment capabilities. RSF and co-sustainment partnerships pro - vide venues for meaningful collabo - ration between all partners and op - portunities to synchronize individual strengths all in the name of speeding
support to the Warfighter. Economic Evaluation
One of the most effective ways to explain the benefit of co-sustainment is through the concept of comparative advantage. This idea, long familiar in
JANUARY FEBRUARY 2026 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION MAGAZINE 17 –
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