Amazon.com Inc. is set to collaborate with the Australian government to create a cloud data system capable of handling top-secret information. This initiative, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, aims to bolster Australia's cyber capabilities and enhance security cooperation with the US. The government has committed at least A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) over the next decade for this new system.
Details about the exact locations of the data centers and the specific nature of the information they will store remain undisclosed. However, Marles, who also serves as the defense minister, emphasized that this advanced technology will significantly enhance the resilience of the Australian Defence Force. It will also improve their war-fighting capacity, promote interoperability with key international allies, and create up to 2,000 jobs within Australia.
Under this agreement, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon’s cloud division, will build three facilities in Australia specifically designed to store top-secret information from the country’s defense and intelligence agencies. This move follows similar international initiatives; in 2021, AWS signed a NZ$7.5 billion ($5.3 billion) deal to construct analogous centers in New Zealand, and the UK’s intelligence services reportedly also adopted cloud services to host their confidential data the same year.