Google Cloud has been awarded a £400 million contract to deliver a sovereign cloud capability for the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MOD). Under the agreement, Google Cloud will provide a secure cloud platform that enables innovation while maintaining enhanced data controls for the UK MOD.
The partnership supports the ministry’s Strategic Defence Review vision of leveraging advanced cloud infrastructure for improved capabilities and secure information processing, including cybersecurity and AI technologies.
As part of the deal, Google Cloud will hire a dedicated specialist team in the U.K. to manage the technology. The partnership is also expected to create jobs, develop skills, and support growth for startups and small to medium enterprises across the U.K. defence industrial base.
James Hockenhull, Commander of Cyber & Specialist Operations Command at U.K. MOD, emphasised that the partnership is “a critical component of our digital transformation strategy” that will deliver “a secure and resilient cloud environment for our highly sensitive data.”
UK Defence Secretary John Healey noted that the investment demonstrates how defence serves as “an engine for growth” while supporting skilled UK jobs and the British tech startup ecosystem.
He added that secure communication with allies is essential for national security, and that Google Cloud’s investment will help develop “world-leading secret tech for the future.”
