Why Digital Materiel Management (DMM) is the Future of Military-Grade 3D Asset Management

As the Department of the Air Force continues to modernize operations across its lifecycle acquisition processes, one term is becoming central to its digital transformation: Digital Materiel Management (DMM).

Also referred to in commercial sectors as 3D Digital Asset Management (3D DAM), DMM is a mission-critical approach to organizing, securing, and delivering digital assets like 3D models, scanned data, simulation files, and technical illustrations at scale. For defense contractors, aerospace manufacturers, and military stakeholders, DMM isn’t just a trend—it’s an operational necessity.

What Is Digital Materiel Management?

According to the Air Force Materiel Command, “DMM refers to the transformation of Air Force programs by synchronizing people, processes, and tools to achieve authoritative sources of truth, digitally connected lifecycles, and agile decision-making.” AFMC Digital

In essence, DMM enables defense programs to digitally manage the full lifecycle of materiel systems—from engineering design to sustainment—through integrated 3D workflows.

It’s the Air Force's version of enterprise 3D asset management, aligning directly with what commercial sectors call 3D DAM platforms.

Kyle Hurst: Leading the Charge for Digital Transformation

Kyle Hurst, Deputy Chief Engineer for the United States Department of the Air Force, is one of the key voices behind this transformation. He’s been instrumental in scaling DMM across major Air Force programs.

“The data is the thing that’s going to allow us to reduce timelines and costs… It’s the common thread across everything we do.” — Kyle Hurst, USAF Deputy Chief Engineer
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Hurst emphasizes that the move toward DMM is about more than technology—it's about changing how people work.

“It’s not just an IT thing. It’s not just engineering. It’s a total lifecycle integration of all the functions and organizations that deliver and sustain Air Force capability.” — Kyle Hurst

This holistic view of digital transformation echoes the mission of modern 3D DAM platforms like echo3D, which enables cross-functional collaboration through a centralized system for managing 3D content.

Why echo3D Is the 3D DAM Platform of Choice for Defense and Aerospace

As DMM gains traction across defense programs, organizations need the right digital infrastructure to support it. That’s where echo3D comes in.

echo3D is a secure, cloud-based 3D asset management platform that enables military, defense, and aerospace teams to:

• Index and organize thousands of 3D assets (including CAD models, photogrammetry scans, 360° videos, and more)
• Collaborate across departments with role-based access controls and file versioning
• Visualize and validate assets in real time from any device or location
• Integrate with simulation platforms, XR systems, and digital twin environments
• Deliver assets at scale for training, planning, or field operations
• Whether it’s managing digital twins of refueling tankers, simulation files for flight training, or scanned 3D data of maintenance workflows, echo3D helps unify the DMM ecosystem with a secure, enterprise-grade solution.

Bridging the Language Gap: DMM = 3D DAM

For defense professionals new to this space, it’s important to note that Digital Materiel Management (DMM) and 3D Digital Asset Management (3D DAM) are functionally the same. The terminology may differ across industries, but the core challenges—asset centralization, lifecycle synchronization, and cross-functional collaboration—are universal.

As Kyle Hurst noted, the transformation won’t succeed with technology alone. It requires tools, people, and processes working in sync. echo3D provides the digital backbone to make that happen.

Get Started: Book a Demo

Whether you're modernizing sustainment operations or scaling digital twin programs, now is the time to get your DMM strategy in place.

👉 Book a Demo with echo3D today and see how the leading 3D DAM platform can help your team:

• Accelerate readiness
• Reduce versioning risks
• Enable secure, collaborative 3D workflows across your command or organization

Read More

• 📌 Read more about how businesses use echo3D in our case studies.
• 📊 Industry experts highlight the growing need for specialized 3D DAM solutions in this market research study.
• 📖 Learn about the benefits of cloud-based & on-premise 3D file storage for enterprises.
• 📈 See industry trends in this article on 3D DAM adoption.