VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has partnered with Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida to complete a multibillion-dollar reconstruction project. With the help of the Research and Development Environment (RDE) network and digital twin technology, Tyndall is on its way to being the country’s most advanced military installation to date — an Installation of the Future.
When Hurricane Michael came ashore in 2018, 60 percent of the base was destroyed, and leadership faced a looming question of what to do next. The decision was made to not just rebuild but build back smarter and fully capable to take on the 21st century.
Tyndall partnered with the ERDC to place Senior Scientific Technical Manager Lance Marrano on-site to serve as a science and technology advisor and assist with navigating technological innovations during the reconstruction process. Marrano also serves as a lead researcher for Installations of the Future, a U.S. Department of Defense initiative focused on sustainability, technology, and adaptability.
After hearing from Tyndall leadership, Marrano decided that a digital twin of the base — a digital replica of physical assets, processes, people, and places — was needed.