DarkDot ASR
Alternate Supply Route
A route designated within an operational area that supplements the MSR when the primary route is closed, threatened, or congested. ASRs provide logistical redundancy.
An ASR is not an afterthought — it is a planned and rehearsed contingency. Drivers and convoy commanders must know the ASR before departure. An ASR that exists only on paper fails the first time the MSR is closed at night under contact.
ASR Planning Requirements
- Route survey: Walk or drive the ASR before operations to identify weight limits, chokepoints, and seasonal trafficability issues
- Reporting points: Designate named checkpoints along the ASR for accountability and communication
- Triggers for switching: Define exactly what condition (MSR status Red, direct fire contact, IED strike) requires diverting to the ASR
- Communication: All convoy elements must have the ASR grid overlay and the trigger conditions before departure
Relationship to PACE
In logistics planning, MSR and ASR correspond to the Primary and Alternate tiers of the PACE methodology for route selection.
Logisticslogisticssustainmentroutessupplycontingency