美国国防部发布了在供应链中应用RFID的最终政策。国防部发言人指出军方计划采用包括无源（采用EPC编码）和有源在内的两种RFID标签。所有军方物资提供商在2005年1月后在它的货箱、托盘和高价值单品上贴上有唯一标识的无源RFID标签，这些无源标签的工作频段在860-960MHZ，识读半径为3米。在C1G2标准正式出台之前，美国防部将会接受Class 0 64位只读标签、Class 0 96位只读标签，Class 1 64位可读写标签以及Class 1 96位可读写标签。


　　The U.S. Department of Defense released its final policy for adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID) in the supply chain. A memo issued by Acting Undersecretary of Defense Michael Wynne outlined the military's plans for both passive RFID (based on the Electronic Product Code) and active RFID technologies.
The memo expands on the draft policy announced in February, and very little has changed since then. Starting in October, all new material contracts with delivery after Jan. 1, 2005, will require passive RFID tags on cases, pallets and high-value items with Unique Identification codes (UIDs). It further directs all agencies within the Department to use active tags on all consolidated international shipments. Agencies are encouraged to leverage commercial active RFID infrastructure, but the DoD is not mandating that ports and carriers implement the technology.

　　Rollout will begin next January at the strategic supply centers in San Joaquin, Calif., and Susquehanna, Pa. The Department will use passive tags operating in the 860Mhz to 960Mhz band with a read range of 3 meters. Until the upcoming Gen 2 Electronic Product Code (EPC) specification is completed, the DoD will accept EPC Class 0 64-bit read-only tags, Class 0 96-bit read-only tags, Class 1 64-bit read-write tags, and Class 1 96-bit read-write tags.

　　Suppliers will send advance shipping notices to the DoD's information systems via standard Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) networks, not the EPC network infrastructure.

　　At facilities where the military associates materials into pallets and cases, tagging will occur on site.

　　For suppliers, tag requirements will be phased in. Starting in January 2005, all individual cases, cases packaged in palletized unit loads, and palletized loads going to the Susquehanna and San Joaquin locations will require tags for packaged operational rations, clothing, equipment, tools, personal demand items, and weapon system repair parts and components.

　　In January 2006, the program will expand to subsistence and comfort items, packaged petroleum, lubricants, oils, preservatives, chemicals, and additives, construction and barrier material, ammunition, major end items, and pharmaceuticals and medical materials. By that time, the Defense Logistics Agency expects to have at least 32 sites ready to accept RFID-tagged shipments.

　　All shipments to all locations will require tags in 2007. In addition, starting in 2007, all automatic identification equipment (such as scanners and printers) will require RFID capabilities, as well as all logistics information systems involved in receiving, shipping and inventory management, where appropriate.

　　All cargo containers shipped outside of the U.S. must have active RFID tags with the cargo contents written to them. The DoD currently tracks containers using equipment from Savi Technology as part of its Total Asset Visibility (TAV) program.

　　 While retailers working with RFID have focused primarily on using passive tags on pallets and cases, the DoD will use a mix of technologies, and is working to integrate its existing active RFID tagging applications.

　　 The plan is for what the industry is calling "nested visibility"--tying information from tagged or bar coded contents to the active tag on the freight container. It's easier said than done, says Fred Naigle, senior logistician at the Office of the Product Manager, Automatic Identification Technology (PM-AIT).

　　 "There's much to be worked out," said Naigle. "Generally speaking, at the origin of shipment, you have connectivity into the [information systems] of record to work with the active tag. The challenge is when you're in the field working with those containers and there's no connectivity."

　　 "It's like taking a Wal-Mart store and moving it 40 miles," said John Waddick, logistics management specialist at PM-AIT. "We have to take everything with us, and that makes it difficult."
The benefits of tying these systems together could be significant, however.

　　 "Potentially, you could automatically read the EPC tags to compile the container load information and send that into the In-Transit Visibility (ITV) system, as well as automatically decrement materials as they are taken out of the container," said David Stephens, senior vice president for the public sector at Savi.


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