QR Codes in Military Logistics: Equipment Identification, Maintenance Records, and Chain of Custody

1. Equipment Identification

Each piece of equipment carries a QR linking to: NATO stock number, serial number, unit assignment, last service date, and serviceability status. Logistics personnel verify identity without manual lookups.

2. Maintenance Records

A QR on each item links to the maintenance log: scheduled service due dates, repairs carried out, and parts replaced. REME or equivalent maintenance personnel update records via mobile scanner.

3. Chain of Custody

Each transfer event (issue, return, repair, disposal) is logged by scanning the equipment QR and the recipient's ID. The custody chain is complete and auditable.

4. Security Considerations

Military QR systems must operate in classified or sensitive environments. Use network-isolated scanners and servers in appropriate environments. The QR payload itself should be opaque (encoded serial only, no sensitive data in plain text).