MAXWELL AFB-GUNTER ANNEX, AL-- In November, the Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation (BESPIN) team had the opportunity to spend a morning trading advice and insights with software developers from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).
Interest in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) development attracted the RSAF software developers to BESPIN. During the demonstration of capabilities, they learned about the BESPIN mission to enable mobile and web solutions leveraging BESPIN’s unique capabilities. The RSAF team watched product demonstrations from team members of GearFit, Digital University, and Kinderspot. Afterward, Technical Sergeant Joey Mills gave an overview of BESPIN’s Enterprise Service Teams including the Design Studio, Data as a Service, Mission Delivery as a Service, and Cloud Operations.
During the GearFit brief, the BESPIN team was excited to learn that the Singaporean developers have experience with a similar application. GearFit is a platform that allows Air Force aircrews to submit direct feedback about their gear to better inform decisions about critical flight equipment.
Senior Airman Jackson Engle and RSAF software engineer Ms. Natasha Ann exchanged ideas on filtering responses through submission-based apps to ensure the security of classified information. Ms. Ann shared she’s been experimenting with applications that can pinpoint and remove classified information from submissions.
There were also discussions about how BESPIN addressed security concerns associated with Digital University and about BESPIN’s process of embedding security checks throughout the entire app development process. RSAF Chief Data Officer (CDO), Mr. Tay Gek Peng noted the insight was valuable as he’s currently embedding security personnel into each of their teams to address their security concerns early on in the process.
The visit ended on a high note with RSAF CDO Peng and BESPIN CEO Lieutenant Colonel Jon Drummond expressing interest in exploring avenues for future collaboration.
“There are many areas where our mission sets are very similar and areas where we can work together,” Peng said.
BESPIN was one of several visits the Singaporean software developers made during their weeklong tour of technical innovation facilities in the United States. A Letter of Understanding for tech innovation signed by U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and RSAF Chief of Air Force Major General Kelvin Khong paved the way for the visit to take place.
Mr. Peng and his team started in Boston with stops at Air Force Cloud One, Kessel Run, and MIT AI Accelerator. Following Boston, the RSAF team stopped at the Pentagon, where they met with Air Force Chief Information Officer Lauren Knausenberger, Major General John M. Olson, the Space Force Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Space Operations and Air Force Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer, and Ms. Eileen Vidrine, the Senior Strategic Advisor for Data to the Federal Chief Information Officer within the Office of Management and Budget.
The RSAF team also traveled to Texas to visit Platform One and LevelUP Code Works, and finally, they stopped at Hangar 18 in Ohio before making the journey back to Singapore.
“The United States already has an excellent relationship with Singapore, and this engagement was a great opportunity to engage on technical transformation and innovation,” said BESPIN Chief Operations Officer Lieutenant Colonel Tyler Hough. “This meeting helped establish the beginnings of a wonderful partnership in the technical innovation arena and helped solidify the relationship moving forward.”