AUGUST 26, 2024 – A new cloud-based software tool environment is driving transformative change across the Digital Materiel Management workspace at the Air Force Materiel Command.
The Department of the Air Force Digital Transformation Office teamed up with Digital Platform as a Service (DPaaS) and contractor SAIC to create LaunchPad, an enterprise-funded software environment that provides free, easy, and secure access to cloud-based tools, training, and other services.
“This software provides access to critical software tools that users need across the Department of the Air Force,” said Elizabeth Loiacono, LaunchPad Lead, AFMC. “Now that we can provide access to the tools, we can provide training to upskill people and make their work processes faster and better.”
LaunchPad offers free, easy, and secure access to a growing array of cloud-based tools, training resources, and more for over 2,000 users today. It primarily supports engineering programs and collaboration, but efforts are underway to expand the toolset to benefit all functions within the organization.
Examples of tools that are available include model-based systems engineering software such as Cameo and Teamwork Cloud, requirements management programs like IBM DOORS, and MATLAB for data analysis.
LaunchPad is designed to empower the workforce by enabling the adoption of Digital Materiel Management (DMM) methods and accelerating the enterprise’s digital transformation. It helps streamline and enhance processes through digital tools, making it easier to deliver capabilities quickly and effectively, from development to support.
“With LaunchPad’s tools, I connected over 11,000 artifact types to criteria in the handbook in under 10 minutes—work that would have taken over six man-weeks manually,” said Noah Demerly, Lead System Safety Engineer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. “This model can now be used by any Air Force program to trace Airworthiness source data.”
Technical improvements, such as new version updates in the LaunchPad software, continue to enhance user experience and platform security, ensuring capabilities are provided in a safe, secure environment
LaunchPad is expected to hit 80,000 users by Sept. 2029, underscoring its growing influence and potential within the enterprise. The platform has already created over 500 project spaces, further solidifying its role as a critical enabler of the acquisition enterprise’s digital transformation.
“Engineering tools are very costly,” said Loiacono. “So, by creating a shared environment and implementing floating licenses, we’ve seen $120 million of cost avoidance across the enterprise since LaunchPad stood up.”
At the core of this effort are strategic initiatives aimed at revolutionizing the digital workforce: training the workforce, instilling a digital-first culture, developing digital strategies, structuring and securing data, and providing access to DMM tools.
“The goal of LaunchPad is to provide access to tools across all functionals,” said Loiacono. “We’re hoping to add program management tools and other tools to support other functional areas.”
LaunchPad is not just a tool—it’s a revolution in digital workforce management, driving the future of digital-first practices across the enterprise.
DAF personnel can request an account for LaunchPad at https://forms.osi.apps.mil/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=jbExg4ct70ijX6yIGOv5tE2pSPAvqUBMtR7yE3EIzRRURU9EQkVFV1hQWE9OMUs5M0xSQ0lLODBJOC4u.
Story by Tiffany Scofield
Air Force Materiel Command