Strategic Air Transportation Management in Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) : Enhancing Archipelagic Resilience

The purpose of this study is to investigate the strategic role of air transportation management in Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW), particularly in archipelagic contexts such as Indonesia, where rapid humanitarian response, territorial surveillance, and civil–military cooperation are essential for resilience. By applying a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), this article synthesizes findings on humanitarian logistics, technological transformation, and policy frameworks for strengthening national defense readiness. Design/methodology/approach – This study employs a qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology guided by PRISMA principles, analyzing 30 scholarly contributions from 2009–2025, including international peer-reviewed journals, Routledge and Springer volumes, arXiv preprints, and Indonesian academic publications.Results highlight that strategic air  transportation is indispensable for disaster relief, medical evacuation, and supply delivery in archipelagic nations. The adoption of AI, machine learning, UAVs, and reinforcement learning has enhanced responsiveness and equity in humanitarian supply chains. However, persistent challenges include aging fleets, interoperability constraints, and fragmented civil–military coordination. The study underscores the need for modernization of air assets, institutionalized civil–military collaboration, and integration of AI-based routing and command systems. Strengthening these aspects can enhance Indonesia’s resilience and preparedness in MOOTW scenarios. This article uniquely bridges global research on data-driven air power with Indonesian defense perspectives, proposing a scalable strategic framework for air transportation management that advances archipelagic resilience.