defense intel Tyndall Air Force Base Trailblazing Way to Installation of the Future by: Don Arias and Sarah McNair, AFIMSC Public Affairs
T
he Digital Twin Hololab went live March 17 at Tyndall Air Force Base to showcase the base’s digital transformation as part of Installation of the Future efforts. These
cutting-edge planning concepts and innovative technologies will be integrated across the base and enable numerous capabilities for the warfighter at Tyndall and throughout the Air Force. “The Hololab is the primary interface with the Digital Twin of Tyndall Air Force Base,” said Lowell Usrey, an Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Natural Disaster Recovery Division (NDR) branch chief. “The Digital Twin is a near life-like, virtual representation of the physical world. This is the place where Airmen can interact with the model using virtual reality goggles or just a good old-fashioned computer screen.” The Hololab demonstrates how these concepts and technologies have been incorporated to help create a more resilient, efficient and sustainable installation. The model itself is tied to the overall $4.9 billion rebuild schedule, enabling views of the installation at any given point in time.
8
“We are making the Hololab accessible because we want to spread knowledge of how the Digital Twin will help us with our mission today, as well as spark conversations of how it can help us in the future,” said Col. Travis Leighton, NDR division chief. Visitors will be able to explore what it’s like to operate the systems that are built into the virtual replica of the installation. For example, facilities operators have the ability to view the real-time condition of assets as they explore the model. The Digital Twin is one of many new technologies being implemented to transform Tyndall into the Department of the Air Force’s Installation of the Future. Also of note is the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's NDR PMO collaboration with AFWERX, a technology directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), over the past two years to drive innovation and incorporate new technologies into the rebuild. The collaboration has resulted in the creation of a Flightline Operations Challenge in 2021. The 2021 challenge will help shape technologies that have
“It’s more than a display,” Usrey said. “It is an open canvas that
potential for incorporation into the Flightline of the Future. The
puts the virtual world into the hands of potential users to improve
NDR PMO team sought to engage individuals, startups, small
mission effectiveness and collect feedback to help improve the
businesses, large enterprises, academia and research labs to solve
system.”
problems.
BAY BIZ / SUMMER 2022
