Boring logistics of the day: Jerry Can The Next Generation.

Much has written about how the humble Jerry Can that kept half of WWII logistics running. China, being a country roughly the size of a small continent, also cares deeply about its POL (Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants) pipeline. Which brings us to today’s blog topic: "Flexible Oil Bladder" 软体油囊 ​​​​


Below is a Central China TV segment from a recent exercise, where troops resupply a stranded truck column using the PLA’s new helidrop‑friendly "Flexible Oil Bladder".
Yes, Rommel would have killed for something this fancy instead of chasing fuel drums across North Africa like a man trying to catch his hat in a windstorm.


The bladder itself is classic modern logistics chic: TPU construction, meaning a polyester mesh skeleton sandwiched between polyurethane layers, all fused together with high‑temp or high‑frequency welding. Because nothing says “we learned from the last 80 years” like hermetically sealing every seam with oil‑resistant compounds so the contents don’t quietly dissolve the container from the inside out.

Polyurethane‑coated fabric buys you the usual perks: high mechanical strength, UV resistance, and a service life that doesn’t end the moment the sun looks at it funny.
Compared to rigid metal tanks, these flexible bags are lighter, smaller, corrosion‑proof, and generally easier to manhandle, transport, deploy, and pack away. 

They cut down on lift requirements and convoy volume, useful whether you’re topping off a battalion in the field or feeding a shale gas site in Gansu. And because engineers can’t help themselves, there are versions for vehicles, ships, aircraft, sling loads, airdrops, waterborne towing, and even underwater storage. If it holds liquid and moves, someone has strapped a flexible tank to it.

From battlefield bulk fuel storage to emergency pipeline repairs, these things are slowly replacing the old iron drums and rigid tanks. They’re not glamorous, but they’re the kind of quiet, unsexy upgrade that actually changes how a force sustains itself.

Jerry Can 2.0: still not exciting, but undeniably effective.