The Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency

Established 1961

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

DLA

Research & Development

OBJECTIVE

The Energy Readiness Program (ERP) is a designated 

Defense Operational Energy Program and is managed 

under the DLA LOG R&D Program. The ERP directly 

supports the DoD Class III Bulk fuel and energy supply 

system through a multi-faceted approach to addressing 

current and future issues connected to the entire spans 

of the system. R&D projects and studies are normally 

developed by or in conjunction with the military service 

technical offices and activities.

STRATEGIC THRUSTS

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY

WARFIGHTER ALWAYS

Program Manager: Lindsey Hicks Lindsey.Hicks@dla.mil

ENERGY READINESS PROGRAM (ERP)

• Support of DoD and industry coordinated 

efforts to determine the effects of 

alternative (non-petroleum based) fuels 

on aircraft engine combustion.

• Support of DoD and industry coordinated 

efforts to develop innovative techniques to 

mitigate and/or prevent fuel instability, 

deterioration and contamination.

• Improvement and enhancement of practices 

and standards for fuel product additization, 

filtration and sampling for analysis.

• Keep abreast of Fuel Refining and Distribution Industry practices that affect, or potentially 

affect, Warfighter operational requirements.

• Coordinate with Military Services and Industry Technical Organizations to develop and 

structure projects addressing fuel instability and contamination problems.

• Coordinate with Military Tri-Service Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants (POL) group to optimize 

support opportunities for alternative fuel certification efforts.
WARFIGHTER READINESS

THE BENEFITS

DLA RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

ERP PROGRAM

ACCOMPLISHMENTS & ONGOING EFFORTS

Program Manager: Lindsey Hicks Lindsey.Hicks@dla.mil

WARFIGHTER ALWAYS

INDUSTRY AND WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS

THE CHALLENGE

The SmartWarehouse

Industry 4.0 

Technologies

Autonomous 

Robots

Modeling & 

Simulation

Sensor IoT

Augmented 

Reality

5G

Predictive 

Analytics

The SmartWarehouse

Industry 4.0 

Technologies

Autonomous 

Robots

Modeling & 

Simulation

5G Sensor IoT

Predictive 

Analytics

• Fuel production practices that affect product 

stability and integrity.

• Environmental mandates (e.g. fuel 

desulfurization) that can affect certain military 

fuel operational properties (e.g. lubricity).

• Supply infrastructure practices that contribute 

to fuel product contamination and 

adulteration.

• Decreased military budgets for the 

certification of alternative fuels in meeting 

warfighter requirements.

• Improved operational energy performance for the Warfighter 

• Improved technology for the quality assurance and quality surveillance of fuel and 

energy products

• Increase in reliable product supplier base for fuel and energy products

• DLA Energy

• US Army

• NATO

• US Navy

• US Marines

• Industry

• US Air Force

• US Coast Guard

• Academia

• Development of Best Practices for Fuel System Contamination Detection and Remediation, utilized 

by fuel system/equipment operators and laboratory personnel to perform after the presence of fuel 

contamination is confirmed. 

• Development conditioned-based fuel-metering maintenance and calibration protocols that eliminate 

unnecessary upkeep expenses and increase inventory accountability performance.

• Management of congressionally funded initiative to develop refinery-scale production of biofuels 

produced from woody biomass for military and commercial consumption.

https://www.dla.mil/InformationOperations/Research-And-Development/