Defense Munitions Industrial Base Interactive Map (WWII-Era)
*Due to security considerations, all the information on the map is unclassified and can be found online, with embedded links to the resources.
The Defense Munitions Industrial Base Interactive Map (DMIB Map) is an interactive map showing the locations of WWII-era defense Munitions Industrial Facilities from the 1940s to the present.
Active is in Green. Deactivated are in Red.
What is the DMIB?
The U.S. Defense Munitions Industrial Base is the continental United States industrial complex that enables research, development, production, delivery, and maintenance of munitions systems, subsystems, and components or parts to meet U.S. military requirements.
Why an Interactive Map?
After seeing the variety in the number of facilities that the ammunition industrial base was composed of during World War II from a few sources, I wanted a better understanding of the intricacies of the DMIB, which was essential for ensuring national security and maintaining a robust military presence during that period. This interactive map aims to:
Increase Transparency: Visualize the geographical distribution of key facilities across the country.
Enhance Collaboration: Foster better understanding between different stakeholders within the Munitions Industrial Base.
Inform Decision Making: Provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers.
Features of the DMIB Map
The map offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to:
Explore facilities by category (e.g., Joint Munitions Command (JMC) 2024, Active and Deactivated production plants, ordnance works, storage depots, research/testing, military ocean terminals, naval facilities)
Filter by location and facility name
Search by various maps
Access additional information about each facility (where available)
Important note: The interactive map shows the locations of WWII-era defense Munitions Industrial Bases from the 1940s to the present.
Results
From the end of World War II, America's once-formidable munitions industrial base has shrunk by a staggering 78%. The peak of its power saw 144 facilities producing vital wartime supplies, but today a mere 32 remain active. The remaining facilities now play a more concentrated role in national defense.
A construction phasing strategy for munitions facilities employed by the United States for war planning involved building facilities in stages, initially focusing on core production capacity that would last 20 years—as the war started, more specialized production lines or expanding existing ones. Then, a new approach to prioritizing speed and building facilities designed for just a 5-year lifespan.
Unlike the WWII era, which relied on vast production lines for simple munitions, modern warfare necessitates a more agile munitions industrial base capable of producing complex and ever-evolving weaponry. Today, this complexity places significant demands on a smaller but highly adaptable munitions industrial base.
Conclusion
A robust munitions industry is a crucial component of wartime readiness. A network of operational facilities allows a nation to surge production quickly, supplying the critical tools its forces need in the crucible of conflict. The questions that must be answered are—
Is the current state of the US defense munitions industrial base sufficient to sustain a large-scale war against a near-peer adversary? If not, are there existing plans to ensure the United States' victory despite potential industrial base limitations?
If you have further updates or questions, please let me know.
Link Here:
Resources
The Army Ammunition Management System, Department of the Army Pamphlet 700–16, 1 December 1982. https://www.in.gov/indiana-national-guard/files/DA_PAM_700-16_FINAL_Ammo.pdf
Dr. Philip Shiman, FORGING THE SWORD Defense Production in the Cold War, July 1997 https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA333657.pdf
Category: U.S. Ordnance Depots, http://www.fortwiki.com/Category:U.S._Ordnance_Depots
Kane, Historic Context for the World War II Ordnance Department's Government-Owned Contractor-Operated (GOCO) Industrial Facilities 1939-1945. (Book). Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: distribution is unlimited. (Oct 1995).
Formerly Used Defense Sites Program https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental/Formerly-Used-Defense-Sites/
National Archives Catalog, Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/156.html
JMC Installations, https://www.jmc.army.mil/Installations.aspx?id=Anniston
U.S. Army Materiel Command RESOURCE GUIDE, https://www.amc.army.mil/Portals/9/Documents/AMC%20Publications/Resource-Guide-Online-March-25-2024.pdf
Historic Context for Department of Defense Facilities World War II Permenat Facilities, https://aec.army.mil/application/files/9114/9503/6369/ww2_pc.pdf