The Australian government has announced a $2 billion deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build a custom cloud environment for managing top-secret defense and intelligence data. This partnership between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and AWS aims to enhance national security and create up to 2,000 Australian jobs. The new platform will enable secure sharing and analysis of classified data at speed and scale, leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Defence Richard Marles praised the investment, highlighting its importance in improving Defence resilience and combat capability. AWS will work with local Australian businesses on the design and development of the sovereign cloud, which will support the National Intelligence Community. The deal represents the government’s efforts to establish its own sovereign cloud environment capable of handling top-secret data, after talks with Microsoft fell through in mid-2022.
ASD CEO Rachel Noble emphasized the collaborative nature of this partnership, describing the top-secret cloud as a transformative space for intelligence and defense agencies to store and access sensitive data. The investment aligns with the government’s National Defence Strategy 2024 and AWS’s planned $13.2 billion investment in Australian infrastructure by 2027. Dave Levy, vice president of AWS Worldwide Public Sector, expressed excitement about delivering innovative cloud services to enhance Australia’s national defense capabilities and protect its citizens.
Overall, the partnership between the Australian government and AWS signifies a significant step towards strengthening national security and supporting the country’s defense and intelligence agencies. The new cloud environment is expected to streamline data management, foster collaboration, and accelerate mission execution for Australian intelligence agencies.
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https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2024/govt-inks–2bn-deal-with-aws-for-top-secret-cloud.html