104 THEATRE SUSTAINMENT BRIGADE
104 THEATRE SUSTAINMENT BRIGADE DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE
On 10 March 2022 , a small team from 104 Theatre Sustainment Brigade established a coordination cell on a US installation in Stuttgart , Germany . A few days later they were joined by the rest of the HQ and individual augmentees from across Defence . By July it had grown into a multinational organisation , supported by over 20 nations , known as the International Donation Coordination Centre or International Donor Coordination Centre ( IDCC ).
The Theatre Enabling Group or TEG is familiar with deploying at short notice . The TEG HQ deployed reconnaissance elements across Europe from its home in South Cerney , to find locations for movement and coordination of weapons and military equipment into Ukraine . Being an international facing brigade , the TEG worked with our partner nations to establish the IDCC , a multinational organisation by design . Finding its home in US European Command , or EUCOM , meant the IDCC could use the existing Foreign Liaison Officer network within EUCOM to expand its reach and coordinate a global response .
The aim of the IDCC is to coordinate , cohere and control the movement of aid and harness the power of combinations that a multi-national effort can generate , making the supply of aid to Ukraine as efficient and operationally effective as possible . The IDCC prevents overmatch of any part of the network by sequencing delivery against Ukrainian priorities and capability requirements . No aid is physically located at the IDCC ; and several teams come together to coordinate their delivery .
With specialists embedded , the IDCC can continually understand the evolving Ukrainian capability requirements and associated priorities , whilst also reporting timely forecasts of aid provision , thus allowing the Ukrainian logistic chain to maximise its operational efficiency . The embedded Ukrainian military and civilian personnel give the IDCC a direct line to Kyiv and the front line to ensure the most desired aid is given in as timely of a manner as possible .
In a recent visit to the IDCC , US Deputy Secretary of Defence , Dr Kathleen Hicks offered the following observation “[ it ] probably began as a simple deconfliction , but now I think really in terms of optimizing the capability that the international community can bring
As the conflict in Ukraine has progressed , so too have the weapon systems they require . to bear ”. As the conflict in Ukraine has progressed , so too have the weapon systems they require .
With increased complexity and diversity of aid deliverables , there is now a requirement for training . A dedicated team within the IDCC , the Training Coordination Cell , coheres and enables training activity for personnel across artillery systems , armoured vehicle platforms and other military equipment . This allows the IDCC to work at pace to fuse donated equipment , training teams , the Ukrainian training audience , and an approved training area . This approach allows the AFU to be able to receive donated equipment and be suitably trained and qualified to use it , rapidly and efficiently bringing it into the fight .
6 SUMMER 2022 the imjin