West Point Cadets highlight Picatinny projects during annual research symposium

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, N.Y. put their knowledge on display while engaging with other cadets, faculty, military leaders and project partners from industry and the military during the 26th annual Projects Day Research Symposium on April 24.

While USMA has maintained a primary focus on building leaders of character, research sharpens the academic experience by placing cadets with faculty on cutting-edge research across various disciplines focused on innovation excellence for today’s warfighter and designed to support real-world problems.

Projects Day showcased the hard work and achievements of more than 400 West Point cadets and more than 350 research projects along with faculty and more than 70 research partners across government, academia, and industry.

Approximately one dozen projects on display at Projects Day had direct support from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, and JPEO A&A, both headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal.

Picatinny Arsenal has had a long-standing relationship with USMA, maintaining a shared intellectual experience grounded in the actual research and engineering involved in ongoing Army modernization projects.

"The collaboration between Picatinny Arsenal and West Point fosters cadet led projects that innovate, and drive efficiency and effectiveness for emerging technologies through cutting edge research and development," said. Maj. Faith Mueller, Assistant Product Manager Small Caliber Ammunition, part of the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition’s (JPEO A&A) Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS) at Picatinny Arsenal.

The USMA academic year 2024-25 was designed to delve into the intricate relationship between human agency and technological innovation in contemporary warfare. The theme explored how leaders may effectively navigate the complexities of modern battlefields, where technological disruptions and advancements in autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and cyber technologies are reshaping conflict dynamics.

Throughout the year, USMA Dean, Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves, hosted fireside chats, podcasts, and other events that examine the topic through the lenses of different academic disciplines. The theme aligns education with the future battlefield, preparing cadets for emerging challenges to ensure that our military is the most lethal and effective in the world.

Examples of projects presented from the Armaments Center included the demilitarization of munitions, M240 machine gun signature reduction, small arms ammo packing, and advanced concrete ballistics.

“The Armaments Center’s Small Caliber Munitions Production branch partnered with West Point cadets and the USMA’s Math Department, with support from PM MAS, to address real-world analytical challenges,” said Martin Seiz, Production Team Lead, JPEO A&A.

Seiz’s team worked with Cadet Alexander Boarnet who briefed “Confidence-Based Skip-Lot Sampling for Army Ammunition Production” during the Projects Day event at West Point.

“Currently, we're collaborating on a project to optimize ‘skip lotting procedures at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP), the military’s largest small caliber ammunition plant,” Seiz said.

VIDEO BELOW:

Skip-lot sampling in ammunition testing means not inspecting every lot, but rather inspecting a fraction of them based on a pre-defined acceptance criterion. This is typically done when a manufacturer consistently produces high-quality ammunition, and the inspection process can be streamlined.

The introduction of skip-lot sampling in Army ammunition production may enhance quality control efficiency by reducing inspection costs without compromising safety or reliability. By selectively inspecting batches based on historical quality performance, skip-lot sampling ensures that high-quality standards are maintained while optimizing production processes for military readiness.

“Skip lotting aims to reduce costs associated with destructive testing during Lot Acceptance Tests, once a high level of production confidence is achieved. Cadet Boarnet is using data analysis and statistics to determine the optimal point for implementing skip lotting – balancing risk mitigation with potential cost savings. Most importantly, testing critical to combat readiness will not be considered for skip lotting. However, reducing testing on non-critical characteristics at a plant producing more than one billion cartridges annually could yield significant cost reductions,” Seiz said.

Boarnet, from San Antonio, Texas, is majoring in mathematical sciences and will be commissioned as a U.S. Army infantry officer.