Defensive Researches and Management

Defensive Researches and Management

Dimensions and Components of Defense Supply Chain Resilience: A War-Game Study of the Iran–U.S. Scenario in the Persian Gulf

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hamidreza Rezaee 1
Morteza Porjafari 2
Ali Naeimi Khondabi 3
1 Professor of Strategic Defense Sciences (Defense Policy), National Defense University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Professor of Strategic Defense Sciences (National Defense), Supreme National Defense University, Tehran, Iran.
3 M.A. in Business Administration, Faculty of Management and Industrial Engineering, Malek Ashtar University of Technology, .Tehran, Iran
10.47176/mdr.2026.1430
Abstract
Supply chain resilience in defense is a vital requirement for sustaining military operations under crisis and war conditions. The aim of this study is to identify and validate the dimensions and components of resilience in the defense supply chain of the Islamic Republic of Iran in a potential conflict scenario with the United States in the Persian Gulf. This applied–developmental study was conducted using a descriptive–survey approach. In the qualitative phase, a meta-synthesis method based on the seven-step model of Sandelowski & Barroso (2006) was applied. Out of an initial 300 articles, 47 studies were selected using CASP criteria, and 44 components were extracted and coded with MAXQDA software. In the quantitative phase, these components were evaluated through a semi-structured Delphi questionnaire distributed among 7 military experts. Content validity was assessed using the Lawshe index (CVR), while reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha (0.87) and expert agreement through Kendall’s W (0.75, p < 0.01). The results revealed seven key dimensions of defense supply chain resilience: “security,” “redundancy,” “sustainability,” “transportation,” “management,” “human resources,” and “technology.” In addition, experts introduced several context-specific components (such as submerged warehouses and secure subsurface routes), enriching the proposed framework. The identified dimensions and validated components provide a localized model that can guide policymakers and managers in designing resilient defense supply chains, thereby improving preparedness for potential conflict scenarios.
Keywords
Defense supply chain resilience
Wargaming
Meta-synthesis
Delphi
Persian Gulf
Subjects
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Defensive Researches and Management
Volume 25, Issue 111 - Serial Number 1
Spring 2026
Spring 2026
Pages 11-36

  • Receive Date 26 October 2025
  • Accept Date 01 June 2026