Session 1.8d Update: Defence Supply Chains: Managing Disruption in Times of Crisis
Tracks
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| Tuesday, November 17, 2026 |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Nicholls Theatre |
Presentation Outline
Supporting the War Fighter through effective and efficient logistics is the mission of Joint Logistics Command across all bases and theatres of operation. The supply chains supporting the war fighter are a complex network, reaching back into suppliers and supplier’s supplier, to the front line and supporting operations. Preparing to manage these supply chains in times of crisis requires comprehensive analysis of risk throughout the chains ensuring contingencies and redundancies are in place to mitigate risk. While disruption scenarios can be simulated and role played with tools such as digital twins, the strategic focus has to be on preparing the supply chain command centre to manage actual disruption.
The supply chain command centre has to be as real time and dynamic as the war fighting command centre, providing updates on the status of critical logistics across all fronts. The command centre must also proactively scan for risk, providing actionable insights on mitigating these threats. This presentation will give an update on AI driven supply chain command centres and their benefit to defence supply chains in times of crisis.
Speaker
Dr Owen Keates
Managing Director
Process Intelligent Advisory
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Biography
Managing Director of Process Intelligent Advisory and Industry Fellow at Queensland University of Technology, Dr Owen Keates, has developed supply chain solutions deployed in the aerospace and defence sectors. With a Doctorate in Information Technology and a Chemical Engineering degree he is passionate about leveraging supply chain best practice with digital twin and artificial intelligence technologies to help customers solve their supply chain challenges. Having trained supply chain managers from NASA and United States Marines in supply chain best practice as well as a recipient a Joint Logistics Command challenger coin for his presentation “ The Future of Defence Fuel Supply Chains”, he is an innovator and thought leader in supply chain risk management.
