Lockheed Martin has confirmed it will open its NexGen Cyber Innovation and Technology Centre (NCITE AU), in Canberra, in early 2012.
The announcement came at a gathering of leading IT technology providers operating in Australia, who are currently being canvassed for expressions of interest in regard to supporting collaborative activities within the new Centre.
The Australian facility will be the newest addition to the Lockheed Martin global portfolio of innovation, R&D, collaboration and testing facilities.
Prospective collaborative partners are being invited to contribute technology and expertise to the new centre, as part of a commitment to a shared goal to support Australian Government agencies requiring enhanced resilience and security of their critical IT systems.
Outlining the business philosophy behind establishment of the NCITE AU facility, visiting Lockheed Martin Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for NexGen, Curt Aubley, told the gathering that “effective collaboration in cyber security is essential to protecting our interests and operations, while also building trust in the solutions we offer our customers. Whether the threat comes from the inside or the outside, the protection of data from theft or alteration is of the utmost performance.
“Networks and platforms must be defended against breaches,” added Aubley.
“By building trust and resilience in the systems we build and use for ourselves, Lockheed Martin and its industry partners can assure our customers that we have the capabilities and technology to do the same for them.”
Lockheed Martin’s Canberra NexGen facility, which will achieve Initial Operating Capability by the middle of this month, has been modelled on a similar centre opened in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, in 2009.
This centre has pioneered the creation of virtual digital environments to bring forward game changing technologies and products designed to enhance cyber security, IT system reliability and critical infrastructure resilience for mission success.
The Canberra centre will also be linked into other Lockheed Martin NexGen facilities in the broader USA and the United Kingdom using high definition collaboration capabilities, which together support a global Lockheed Martin cyber innovation test range that is utilised to simulate customer environments, and drive rapid prototyping and testing as a means to solving technology challenges in real-time.
According to Lockheed Martin Australia Chief Executive, Raydon Gates, “the investment in the NCITE AU demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s long-term commitment to Australia and the desire to serve its national security requirements.
“It will provide us with a base to service customer needs in both the civil and military markets, along with a platform to leverage industry partner and Lockheed Martin technologies to create rapid prototypes to speed innovation of solution delivery, while providing seamless advanced cyber security.”
In addition to building a core team of systems engineers to engage with customers to address cyber information and communications challenges, other features of the Canberra NCITE AU complex include: a robust data centre; a full suite of Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Big Data Analysis, Mobile and Mission capabilities; multiple collaboration areas; reconfigurable seminar rooms; high definition video teleconferencing; and global site connectivity.
Gates added that Lockheed Martin’s investment in the NCITE AU facility recognised recent Australian Government initiatives in: working with the United States to add cyberspace threats into consultative arrangements under the ANZUS Treaty; supporting work within relevant national security agencies to bring forward a Cyber Security White Paper; and the elevation of cyber threats within overall national security priorities in the 2009 Defence White Paper.
The capabilities being sought by Lockheed Martin from industry partners for incorporation into the NCITE AU are wide ranging, and cover amongst others – strategic road mapping; modelling and simulation; cyber security applications; integrated technology platforms; infrastructure management, planning and execution toolsets; and virtualisation.
According to Gates, formal opening of the NCITE AU in 2012 “will provide a major new impetus for current Lockheed Martin activities in fostering small-to-medium sized enterprises operating in Australia, and will provide an incubation, product development and marketing platform to enable those with niche capabilities to work with top tier suppliers to create unique offerings.
“Products and solutions emerging from such collaborations will also have potential for subsequent distribution through our Global Supply Chains.”
Speaking on behalf of Canberra-based IT product and services providers attending the NCITE AU gathering, Australian National University Professor Mick Cardew-Hall congratulated Lockheed Martin on its initiative and investment in establishing the NCITE AU.
“By bringing the combined strengths of leading universities such as the ANU together with industry partners to address the challenge of cyber security, we can accelerate the development of effective solutions to growing threats without boundaries or limitations,” said Professor Cardew-Hall.
“To defend against advanced persistent threats, we need to build effective security ecosystems based on collaboration, knowledge sharing and the rapid uptake of best practices.”