Practices, Challenges, and Perspective Technologies for Ration Storage in Defence System

Ensuring optimal food storage and logistics is critical for sustaining the operational efficiency of Defence Forces deployed across diverse and extreme environments. Military ration storage systems must withstand the challenges posed by arid deserts, high-altitude cold regions, and high-humidity terrains, where temperature and moisture fluctuations accelerate food degradation. Conventional storage methods, including mud silos, terracotta structures, Tsothbang, and underground trenches, offer limited structural integrity, poor environmental control, and inefficiencies in multi-commodity storage and retrieval. Modern advancements in material science, computational modeling, and sensor-based monitoring have facilitated the development of robust storage solutions integrating climate-controlled chambers, modified atmospheric packaging, nano-coatings, and AI-driven predictive analytics for spoilage detection and inventory optimisation. This review critically examines traditional and contemporary ration storage strategies, evaluates the limitations of existing systems, and discusses emerging innovations such as adaptive insulation materials, real-time IoT-enabled environmental monitoring, and automated logistics frameworks to enhance the longevity, safety, and efficiency of Defence food supply chains.