The US Department of Defense has awarded Parallel Works a contract to provide a unified platform connecting military supercomputing centers with secure commercial cloud infrastructure. The platform, ACTIVATE High Security Platform, will allow researchers to access and deploy high-performance computing and AI workloads across on-premises and cloud-based resources. The goal is to speed up defense research and operations. The platform is approved at Impact Level 5 and offers on-demand access to cloud compute resources from providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Parallel Works a contract to develop and deploy the ACTIVATE High Security Platform, a unified system designed to connect military supercomputing centers with secure commercial cloud infrastructure. The platform will enable researchers to access and deploy high-performance computing and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads across both on-premises and cloud-based environments, with the objective of accelerating defense research and operational capabilities.
The ACTIVATE platform has been certified at DoD Impact Level 5 (IL5), a classification reserved for unclassified yet highly sensitive information, including mission-critical data and national security systems. IL5 certification ensures that the platform meets stringent security requirements, including robust encryption, continuous monitoring, and secure access controls, as outlined in the DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide. The platform provides on-demand access to cloud compute resources from major providers such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, enabling scalable and secure computing capabilities for defense applications.
This initiative aligns with broader efforts by the federal government to enhance cybersecurity and AI innovation, as reflected in recent executive actions such as the June 2026 White House directive on advanced AI security and development. The DoD's decision to leverage commercial cloud infrastructure underscores a strategic shift toward hybrid computing models that balance performance, flexibility, and security. The ACTIVATE platform is expected to support a range of defense missions, including AI-driven analytics, simulation, and data processing, while maintaining compliance with federal cybersecurity standards.