DISA, General Dynamics roll out AWS across milCloud 2.0

A closely-watched cloud computing system for the Defense Department now has a new partner agencies have access to through that platform’s overall environment.

Through the milCloud 2.0 contract, users across DOD can now access cloud hosting services from Amazon Web Services. General Dynamics’ IT services segment is the prime contractor for the overall milCloud effort. Such users include the services, combatant commands and other agencies.

GDIT said in a release Monday that the addition of AWS gives agencies greater access to artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber sensing and other emerging capabilities through a cloud infrastructure.

The Defense Information Services Agency awarded the potential $498 million job in 2017 to the former CSRA, which was acquired by GDIT slightly less than one year later. This second iteration of milCloud went live in January 2018 and the acquisition closed three months afterward.

MilCloud 2.0 is DISA’s main mechanism to connect DOD networks with commercial cloud hosting and other related capabilities.

“In alignment with (DOD’s) hybrid cloud strategy, this partnership will provide an immediate capability for the DOD and mission partners to accelerate cloud adoption, advance security and innovate with the latest cloud and emerging technologies,” GDIT President Amy Gilliland told us in a statement through a spokesperson.

“DOD customers can access leading cloud services from AWS in areas such as compute, storage, database, networking, analytics, machine learning, migration, security and more,” said Dave Levy, vice president of AWS’ business in the U.S. government, nonprofit and health care markets. “We look forward to continuing to support the department’s modernization efforts and the mission critical needs of our nation’s warfighters.”

With milCloud 2.0, users can provision their accounts in as little as 48 hours. In addition to the existing on-premise cloud services, users also have access to general purpose cloud services with AWS

MilCloud 2.0 provides unclassified cloud services on-premise and now also off-premises with AWS. Classified options are currently being coordinated for both options with planned availability in Summer 2021