[Monkton Case Study] BRICE - Mobile Success for Maintainers at the Point of Repair

CASE STUDY

Military operations are naturally fast-paced—this is why digital modernization is an imperative.

This became increasingly clear to the U.S Air Force as they faced a Herculean modernization challenge: ousting outdated maintenance methods that drained time and resources. Picture handwritten chaos and endless treks to centralized databases that cost the force a whopping $153 million annually. 

Photo by: Air Force Reserve Command

Challenge:

The Air Force knew traditional ways of maintaining combat aircrafts on the flightline were no longer working. Time spent walking to and from centralized depot databases— combined with labor-intensive, hand-written, and paper-based processes—were incredibly taxing and woefully inefficient. What’s more, these lengthy, analog methods added up to more than $150 million in lost time each year, per USAF estimates. And that number doesn't take into account the frustration and strain on airmen, decreased productivity, and erroneous data.

The Air Force needed a better way to document maintenance tasks where and when they take place. But, with so much sensitive information about the inner workings of cutting-edge military hardware, the solution also had to be extremely secure. 

Key Accomplishments:

Achieved a secure cloud infrastructure

Reduced on-the-job training

Implemented an agile, Edge-based mentality

Saved significant time on the flightline 

Solution:

To meet the USAF’s unique needs—and bring maintainers into the digital age—Monkton created and deployed the first Edge-powered iOS mobile app of its kind, BRICE. Short for Battle Record Information Core Environment, BRICE empowered combat aircraft maintainers to perform their jobs directly on the flight line by entering maintenance data into an iPad, saving significant time and countless headaches.

The Edge-capable BRICE app also gives maintainers access to live data about parts availability, and work order status from anywhere—and it all happens with the tap of a button. The best part: BRICE is also fully NSA NIAP compliant, thanks to Monkton’s Rebar platform, a cybersecurity framework that ensures the security and compliance of mobile applications.

BRICE deployed to more than 100 Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) A-10 flightline maintainers at Arizona’s Davis–Monthan Air Force Base with overwhelming support.

Outcomes:

The BRICE app provides critical reliability, privacy-protected data, faster processes, and improved data accuracy for the USAF. Thanks to BRICE, maintenance depots can now harness the power of mobility and improve air readiness for future missions.