Australia Signs $2 Billion Deal With Amazon to Move Highly Classified Intelligence Data to Cloud
By Trisha Andrada
Jul 05, 2024 11:48 AM EDT
Jul 05, 2024 11:48 AM EDT
The Australian government has signed a $2 billion agreement with Amazon Web Services to store sensitive intelligence data on the cloud, which is expected to improve interoperability with American militaries.
According to Reuters, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the deal would enhance national security capabilities and provide 2,000 employment opportunities in the area.
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In a press conference on Thursday, July 4, Rachel Noble, the head of Australia's secret intelligence agency, said the deal would result in the construction of top-secret data centers in the country and an increase in the usage of artificial intelligence for data analysis.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles noted that the defense force's data would be more resilient if it moved to Amazon's cloud services, using distributed and purpose-built facilities.
"If one server goes down, you are still able to operate," he said. In an interview with ABC News, Marles noted that the use of "top secret level" warfare is on the rise and that the company's F-35A joint strike fighter aircraft relies heavily on confidential information.
Australian Director-General of National Intelligence Andrew Shearer told reporters that fostering interoperability with security partners like the US was of the utmost importance.
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