The Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s (Commerce) Aerospace & Defense Team today formally launched a partnership with Sustainment Technologies, Inc., an Oklahoma-based software company. In doing so, Oklahoma is the first state in the nation to provide Sustainment’s technology to all stakeholders involved in the state’s aerospace & defense sector.
Sustainment’s supplier platform has been designed to help companies involved in the aerospace & defense sector of the U.S. economy more easily connect and conduct business with large defense contractors and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). It is considered the first AI-based Industry 4.0 market network platform having been developed in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force in their efforts to more easily connect with the Defense Industrial Base.
This effort provides another tool for Oklahoma companies to expand and enhance their supply chains. Alongside Oklahoma Connex, a partnership between Commerce and the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, the Oklahoma Aerospace & Defense team will utilize Sustainment to expand the focus of the entire aerospace & defense industry ecosystem to include not only traditional defense contractors; but small- and medium-sized manufacturers seeking to expand their business into the aerospace & defense sector.
“We are constantly seeking to provide Oklahoma businesses with the tools needed to enable continued growth,” said Brent Kisling, Commerce Executive Director. “Supply chain issues continue to plague business worldwide. By adding this tool, we can help Oklahoma companies have the opportunity to increase business and grow their workforce. Partnering with Sustainment helps us do so by giving them access to true 4.0 technologies that will help them succeed and better connecting them with the multiple military operations in our state, particularly Tinker Air Force Base.”
State Director of Aerospace & Defense Geoff Camp stated, “Aerospace and defense is the second-largest and fastest-growing industry sector in Oklahoma. With this platform, we can offer free tools to our state’s entire Defense Industrial Base, strengthening the industry’s supply chain and helping Oklahoma companies find new opportunities and continue to lead the state in economic growth.”
The Rapid Sustainment Office, a unique organization within the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) has been instrumental in the development of this technology. As stated in one of AFLCMC’s quarterly reports, “Sustainment Technologies is using the Internet of Things and secure links to build an automated market research capability to search the web to connect parts and suppliers with Air Force Sustainment Center needs. The Director of Special Programs said, ‘this lays the groundwork for digital network confirmation of the sourcing ecosystem.’”
Through the partnership with Commerce, Oklahoma suppliers can access the benefits of Sustainment for free at sustainment.tech. Co-Founder of Sustainment, Michael Morford, added, “I envisioned our technology because of the many challenges manufacturers face trying to grow their businesses. As an owner of a small machine shop in rural Oklahoma, I learned first-hand the confusing and time-consuming hurdles manufacturers face when trying to offer manufacturing services to the Department of Defense.”
