Globalization, technology, and risk sharing business partnerships have changed the landscape of large scale systems integration. In today's business environment, the traditional style of knowledge transfer presuppositions and foundations are inadequate for dissemination of process knowledge in a global multi-cultural environment. The following paper describes a research university -industry approach as well as knowledge transfer strategies for successfully implementing a "Multi-site, cloud based capstone design project" within a cross cultural peer-to-peer design-build-test environment. Within this environment students were exposed to the industry principles of collaborative digital design and manufacturing targeting complex cyber-mechanical systems. Proper software selection, especially to facilitate instantaneous file sharing, collaborative analysis, and face-to-face meetings proved critical to the students' success. Given ever increasing computing power and proliferation and familiarity of the current generation with social networking applications and virtual design-build-test methodologies for design verification and quality assurance demonstrate a major advancement and departure from traditional aircraft design and manufacturing approaches.