The book examines the U.S. strategic lift for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm from the perspective of United States Transportation Command, the unified command responsible for deploying and sustaining U.S. forces worldwide. It emphasizes the interrelationships of the three transportation modes-air, land, and sea-and places of deployment in the context of the overall joint operation. Discussions include rail, truck and bus transportation from forts to ports; seaport and airport operations in the United States and overseas; C-141 and C-5 airlift of passengers and cargo; and Ready Reserve Force, Afloat Prepositioning Force, and Fast Sealift Ship transportation of materiel in support of the war effort. Other topics covered are containerization of ammunition and unit cargo; security against terrorists and saboteurs; contributions of reservists; and command, control, communications, and computer transportation systems. The tremendous contribution of commercial industry to the strategic mobility equation is highlights. The authors make numerous recommendations for improving strategic lift capability based on lessons learned from the operation in the Persian Gulf.

Based on v. 1 of: Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 7 August 1990-10 March 1991 / United States Transportation Command. 1992. Includes four folded maps.

Chronology -- Introduction -- Strategic deployment management -- Airlift -- Sealift -- Overland transportation and port operations -- Containerization -- Operational support -- Conclusion -- Appendices: Consolidation of transportation in the Department of Defense ; Desert Shield/Desert Storm: a chronology of force projection ; Desert Shield/Desert Storm: airlift summary by civil air carrier ; Desert Shield/Desert Storm: ammunition loaded by port ; Afloat prepositioning force activation/first voyage by seaport of debarkation arrival date (MPS) ; Afloat prepositioning force activation/first voyage by seaport of debarkation arrival date (PREPOS) ; Fast sealift ships activation/first voyage by seaport of debarkation arrival date ; Ready reserve force activation/first voyage by seaport of debarkation arrival date ; Summary of Desert Shield/Desert Storm seaports of embarkation activity ; Desert Shield/Desert Storm ship activity by port -- Glossary.