The Perfect Soldier: Special Operations, Commandos, and the Future of Us Warfare by James F. Dunnigan
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Dirty Little Secrets
What it Costs to Move Things
by James Dunnigan
January 2, 2005
Discussion Board on this DLS topic
Military planners have to keep costs in mind, even where there is a war going
on. One of the larger costs is for moving stuff (troops, equipment, supplies.)
The cost of moving all this stuff varies greatly depending on how you do it.
Moving by railroad costs about three cents per ton mile (moving one ton one
mile.) Moving by trucks is about ten times more expensive (30 cents a ton mile.)
Moving by inland waterways (barges, or coastal freighters) is about one cent per
ton mile, moving material using oceanic shipping is even cheaper. Moving gas or
liquids by pipeline costs about two cents per ton mile. Air freight costs about
80 cents per ton mile. Price will vary depending on the condition of the
infrastructure (roads, rail lines, barge canals and ports), and does not include
the cost of building the infrastructure in the first place.
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