In the shape of a brand-new, “landmark” agreement, Microsoft and Lockheed Martin today announced an expansion of their collaboration with one another. The main goal of the agreement will be to assist the federal government wing’s Department of Defense (DOD) in embracing new technologies and innovating in crucial areas.
According to Jason Zander, Executive VP of Strategic Missions and Technologies at Microsoft, the following statements about the collaboration:
“To help our national security leaders advance their goals, we are introducing the power of the hyperscale cloud. Our leaders require an unbeatable information advantage. We are demonstrating, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, how the defence industrial base can safely transfer sensitive data into the cloud while bringing cutting-edge 5G connectivity, vital data processing and analysis, and immersive experiences to the edge to support decision-making when and where it is required.”
Speaking highly of the deal, Yvonne Hodge, Senior VP of Enterprise Business and Digital Transformation at Lockheed Martin, noted that both businesses will be “blazing a new route” in the important areas that have been highlighted.
For starters, Lockheed Martin now adopts Microsoft’s most recent National Industrial Security Program (NISP) framework for air-gapped clouds, making it the first member of the defence industrial base to do so. The initiative, which should begin next year, will make use of ground-breaking technology to enable the aerospace company to revamp its outdated systems, deliver nearly real-time cybersecurity reporting, offer scalable governance, and more.
Additionally, there will be cooperation on Microsoft’s GEMS (gaming, exercise, modelling, and simulation) system. The purpose of this is to enable the DOD to test military technology in surroundings that are both affordable and realistic. By combining the strength of Azure and Lockheed’s 5G.MIL technologies, it will be possible to link communication systems with current DOD networks and foster future innovation in multi-network management and cloud-native security.
The unclassified department of Lockheed Martin will eventually operate in a multi-cloud environment by accelerating its “digital transformation” with Azure. This partnership’s eventual capabilities are expected to have an impact on defence applications not only for land and air, but also for sea, space, and cyberspace.
