Monkton’s Edge-Based Mobile App Helps Air Force Missions Fly

Calculating and Recording Load Data Faster and from Anywhere with the Balanced App for iPhones and iPads

Time is critical for the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). From responding to national threats or providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief, efficiency always drives mission success.

Aircraft loadmasters, who are responsible for loading, unloading, and distribution of cargo, passengers, and equipment, play a pivotal role in this process—whether they’re conducting air drops or preflight inspections of military aircrafts or mathematically preplanning the correct placement of important cargo.

When AFSOC realized their loadmasters needed a better way to calculate and record load data, which is necessary for all large shipments exceeding typical transportation capacity, they turned to Monkton. For decades, loadmasters relied on legacy IT systems that were trustworthy but cumbersome. What AFSOC needed was a modern, efficient, and secure solution that could be used at the Tactical Edge—meaning anywhere the work was done.

Balancing Loads at the Tactical Edge

Together, under the MATTER IDIQ contract, Monkton and AFSOC designed and delivered Balanced—a purpose-built, secure iOS app that runs on Apple iPads and iPhones. Working directly with aircraft loadmasters to understand their pain points, Monkton developed a solution enabling them to quickly calculate and record load data on their mobile device. The app not only saves time by making more efficient and accurate data calculations, it allows loadmasters to use Edge technology (mobile devices in this case) to tap into the power of modern computing precisely where they’re doing work.

Efficiency, however, is just one piece of the puzzle. Any mobile app AFSOC adopts needs to at the very least be as secure as the legacy IT system it replaces. By leveraging Amazon Web Services’ CodeSuite, Monkton executed the DoD’s DevSecOps Playbook Reference Architecture for mobility services and created an app fully NSA/NIAP compliant—all in record time.

Monkton’s MATTER IDIQ allowed AFSOC to rapidly work with Monkton, cutting a lengthy procurement process, which could have taken years to execute, down to weeks. Meanwhile, Monkton’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) program ensured loadmasters would have a mission-ready app in their hands within six months. In less time than it takes to train a new loadmaster, AFSOC was able to acquire a secure mobile app to help meet its operational needs.

Monkton’s work with AFSOC demonstrates how quickly solutions can be designed and implemented with an agile, Edge-based approach. Monkton continues to collaborate with the U.S. Air Force to develop modern, secure capabilities with end users in mind.

Capabilities that Perform

Two foundational approaches are at the heart of Monkton’s innovative, Edge-based solutions:

Edge Computing

Putting iPads in the hands of end users is a simple and agile approach with which users are already familiar. Mobile devices can support digital technology at the Edge, wherever work gets done, saving time and increasing productivity. 

DevSecOps

DevSecOps, short for development, security, and operations, is an approach to culture, automation, and platform design that weaves security in as a shared responsibility throughout the entire IT lifecycle. Along with Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (“CI/CD”), modern and secure software development in line with DoD DevSecOps Reference Architecture achieves rapid results.

Outcomes

DevSecOps

A first-of-its-kind mobile app that leverages AWS GitOps to execute the DevSecOps Playbook Reference Architecture for mobility services

Streamlined calculations

Math made easy for DoD loadmasters when making payload calculations on iPads

Trusted tools for user needs

Monkton worked directly with AFSOC loadmasters to design and build the NSA NIAP-compliant Balanced app for cloud-based mobility

Build Better Faster with Monkton’s MATTER IDIQ

What makes this project even more remarkable is how rapidly Monkton was able to deliver on its commitment.

Monkton’s MATTER IDIQ allowed AFSOC to work directly with Monkton, shaving significant time off the process, while Monkton’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) program ensured that loadmasters would have a mission-ready app in their hands within six months. Learn more at monkton.io/matter.