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.
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, 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.
echo3D is a secure, cloud-based 3D asset management platform that enables military, defense, and aerospace teams to:
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.
👉 Book a Demo with echo3D today and see how the leading 3D DAM platform can help your team: