Military acquisition in the context of National Security Strategy (United States)

Military logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement, supply, and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:

• Design, development, acquisition, storage, distribution, maintenance, evacuation, and disposition of materiel.
• Transport of personnel.
• Acquisition or construction, maintenance, operation and disposition of facilities.
• Acquisition or furnishing of services.
• Medical and health service support.

Logistics is an enabler of military operations, not an end in itself. Poor logistics can result in defeat, but even the best logistics cannot guarantee victory. Conversely, the best possible logistics is not always required: fit for purpose can suffice.

The Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, commonly referred to by its transliterated acronym GRAU (ГРАУ), is a department of the Ministry of Defence of Russia responsible for the military acquisition and equipment of the Russian Armed Forces. It is subordinate to the Chief of Armament and Munition of the Russian Armed Forces, a vice-minister of the Ministry of Defence.

The GRAU was established in 1862 to provide equipment and training for the Imperial Russian Army. It was reorganised several times under the Soviet Union before reaching its current form on 19 November 1960. The GRAU is responsible for assigning GRAU Indices – the official designations for all equipment and ammunition used by the Russian military – and currently operates most of the arsenals of the Russian Armed Forces.