The Use of Digital Twins to Achieve Military Manufacturing Excellence

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP) was established in 1943 as the U.S Naval Ammunition Depot. In World War II, MCAAP played a crucial part in supplying ammunition for the war efforts. Today, MCAAP is home to nearly 45,000 acres of land, producing almost all the bombs for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

In November of 2023, the Army launched their 15-year modernization plan for their Organic Industrial Base (OIB). The plan aims to modernize facilities, processes, and the workforce to bring the OIB into the 21^st century. The Army’s OIB consists of 17 arsenals, depots, and ammunition plants, including MCAAP.

This thesis optimizes the operational variables of the U.S. Air Force’s Mark-84 production process at MCAAP. Using software (AnyLogic) to construct a Digital Twin of the existing process provides insights into the current operational dynamics, enabling a deep understanding of the system’s inefficiencies. Then, utilizing this understanding and the capabilities of the Digital Twin, we offer targeted recommendations for process improvement. This study aims not only to enhance the Mark-84 production process, but also to demonstrate the transformative potential of Digital Twins in optimizing manufacturing operations.