We’re all familiar with the acronym aaS in the technology world. After all, we’ve lived with Software as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform as-a-Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as-a-Service (IaaS) and even Anything as-a-Service (XaaS) since the advent of cloud computing made the idea of as-a-Service possible. But what exactly is MaaS?

According to Michael C. Masten, Vice President of Modernization and Innovation Services at Chenega Systems, Modernization as-a-Service (MaaS) is a way for federal agencies – especially complex organizations like the Department of Defense – to achieve their vital modernization goals with a partner that can deliver turnkey solutions. In an earlier conversation Masten explained that “[t]he Department of Defense (DoD) has, in general, taken a piecemeal approach to transformation that has slowed the overall progress and hampered the success of modernization efforts,” and that with each branch of the military tasked to accelerate the agency’s modernization efforts, MaaS is the most direct route to that goal.

In this new conversation with Masten at the opening of the Nebula Software Factory at the Quantico Cyber Hub, he takes a deeper dive into what MaaS is. From identifying the best physical spaces for collaborative work, sourcing best-in-class solutions, and managing the details like software licenses, MaaS creates an environment that not only allows today’s warfighter to get to work on mission-critical tasks, but also enables the DoD to compete with industry to attract the best and brightest of a new generation to serve and protect the nation.

Check out the video below to learn more about MaaS from the man who pioneered its development.