Amazon’s cloud-computing division will develop a top-secret cloud for Australia’s government, enhancing the key U.S. ally’s capabilities in information sharing, analysis, and defense communication resilience.
Australia announced it will invest at least 2 billion Australian dollars (US$1.3 billion) over the next decade to establish and operate the top-secret cloud. This initiative involves a strategic partnership between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), responsible for cybersecurity, and Amazon Web Services.
Rachel Noble, director general of the ASD, stated, “The top-secret cloud will provide a state-of-the-art collaborative space for our intelligence and defense community to store and access top-secret data. This will transform how we work together as agencies and partners.”
The cloud will enhance collaboration with the U.S. and support Australian military operations while leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, according to the government.
In recent years, Australian government entities and companies have faced several high-profile cyberattacks, including a significant 2019 attack on the nation’s Parliament. Cybersecurity experts are increasingly concerned about the global rise in cyberattacks, which are stretching resources thin.
While identifying the perpetrators of these attacks can be challenging, U.S. officials consider China the most active and persistent cyber threat to government, private sector, and critical infrastructure. Beijing has denied involvement in cyberattacks.
U.S. tech companies see significant business opportunities in Australia, which has experienced strained diplomatic relations with China despite Beijing being its largest trading partner. In October, Microsoft announced a A$5 billion investment over the next two years to expand its cloud-computing and AI infrastructure in Australia, also partnering with the ASD. Amazon Web Services previously committed to investing an additional A$13.2 billion in the country.
