Ministry of Defence indicators £400m sovereign cloud cope with Google
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has chosen Google Cloud to offer it with sovereign cloud capabilities in a deal value £400m.
The settlement will see Google Cloud tasked with offering the MoD with a safe cloud platform that may permit the ministry to make the most of the pliability afforded to it by utilizing the search big’s cloud providers, however in a approach that shall be topic to strict knowledge controls.
That is in alignment with the contents of the MoD’s Strategic defence assessment, revealed in June 2025, which was commissioned by prime minister Keir Starmer to make sure the defence sector has the talents, tech and sources it must safeguard the nation’s safety.
The doc talks about how the velocity at which the armed forces can “innovate and operationalise know-how” is now used as one other measure of “army effectiveness”, whereas additionally making references elsewhere in regards to the ministry’s plans to ramp up its use of cloud for safe info processing.
James Hockenhull, head of cyber and specialist operations command on the MoD, mentioned forging the partnership marks an vital subsequent step within the ministry’s wider digital transformation plans.
“The Ministry of Defence is dedicated to utilising next-generation know-how and AI [artificial intelligence] to reinforce our operational capabilities and make sure the safety of the UK,” mentioned Hockenhull.
“This partnership is a essential element of our digital transformation technique, and we’re happy to companion with Google Cloud to ship a safe and resilient cloud atmosphere for our extremely delicate knowledge.”
John Healey, secretary of state for defence, mentioned the Google deal may even deliver broader advantages, past these related to digital transformation, together with job creation and abilities growth alternatives, and has the potential to gasoline the expansion of startups and small and medium-sized enterprises within the UK defence industrial base.
“Right now’s funding exhibits how defence is an engine for progress, supporting extremely expert UK jobs and a vibrant British tech startup ecosystem,” he mentioned.
“Safe, seamless communication with our allies is essential for nationwide safety and Google Cloud’s funding will construct up our world-leading secret tech for the longer term,” mentioned Healey. “The deal additionally delivers on the Strategic defence assessment, serving to us develop the newest digital know-how to counter our adversaries.”
Strategic settlement
The contract is known to be the primary authorities deal Google Cloud has publicly introduced since revealing in July 2025 that it had signed a strategic settlement with the Division for Science, Innovation and Know-how to cut back Whitehall’s reliance on legacy know-how suppliers.
In accordance with figures shared with Laptop Weekly by public sector-focused analyst home Tussell, Google Cloud has secured two contracts instantly with authorities departments prior to now 12 months, previous to the one it has simply signed with the MoD.
Each are markedly smaller in worth than the £400m MoD contract, with one awarded in October 2024 by the Division for Tradition, Media and Sport, valued at £869,000, and one other awarded in December 2024 by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics, valued at between £393,253 and £2.5m.
Tara Brady, president for Europe, the Center East and Africa at Google Cloud, mentioned the deal is a present of the corporate’s dedication in supporting the UK authorities’s mission to develop a “strong and resilient infrastructure” as a springboard for different types of innovation.
“This partnership will allow the MoD to speed up its digital modernisation efforts whereas sustaining the best ranges of safety and knowledge sovereignty,” she mentioned.
