Lockheed and Microsoft team up on classified government cloud

American defense contractor Lockheed Martin announced a new partnership with Microsoft to support the US Department of Defense. Lockheed will independently operate Azure Government Secret cloud and take part in a two year AI and machine learning initiative.

Through the partnership, the two companies plan to expand delivery of 5G capabilities for the edge, signaling growing military interest in edge computing. Additionally, Microsoft will support Lockheed’s digital transformation.

"Our national security leaders need an unassailable information advantage, which is why we're bringing the power of the hyperscale cloud to accelerate their national security missions. In partnership with Lockheed Martin, we're demonstrating how the defense industrial base can bring classified data into the cloud securely while bringing advanced 5G connectivity, critical data processing and analysis, and immersive experiences to the edge to support decision- making where it's needed, when it's needed. Lockheed Martin is a valued partner in this effort, and we'll continue to innovate and explore the art of the possible to support national security,” stated Jason Zander, executive vice president, Strategic Missions and Technologies, Microsoft.