GCP – Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) & GDC air-gapped appliance achieve DoD Impact Level 6 (IL6) authorization

Today, we’re thrilled to announce another significant milestone for our Google Public Sector business: Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) & GDC air-gapped appliance achieved Department of Defense (DoD) Impact Level 6 (IL6) authorization. Google Public Sector is now able to provide DoD customers with a secure, compliant, and cutting-edge cloud environment at IL6, enabling them to leverage the full power of GDC for their most sensitive Secret classified data and applications. This accreditation builds on our existing IL5 and Top Secret accreditations, and solidifies Google Cloud’s ability to deliver secure solutions for digital sovereignty, critical national security and defense missions for the U.S. government.

Secure, distributed cloud for critical missions

This authorization comes at a crucial time, as the digital landscape is becoming increasingly complex, and the need for robust security measures is growing more urgent. Google’s collaboration with the U.S. Navy under the JWCC contract exemplifies its commitment to providing advanced infrastructure and cloud services for a resilient hybrid-cloud environment. Google Distributed Cloud provides a fully-managed solution designed specifically to uphold stringent security requirements, allowing U.S. intelligence and DoD agencies to host, control, and manage their infrastructure and services.

GDC can operate within Google’s trusted, secure, and managed data centers, or in forward deployed locations to provide the DoD and Intelligence Community with a comprehensive suite of secure cloud solutions. This platform unlocks the power of advanced cloud capabilities like data analytics, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI). The isolated platform, physically located and managed by Google, ensures customers can trust the foundation of their sensitive workloads.

Google has accelerated AI services dramatically to support the DoD. Vertex AI and Google’s state of the art Gemini models are available now at IL6 and TS, supporting missions at the highest classification levels.

Next-gen cloud and AI capabilities at the tactical edge

In harsh, disconnected, or mobile environments, organizations face significant challenges in providing computing capabilities. The Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance brings Google Cloud and AI capabilities to tactical edge environments. These capabilities unlock real-time local data processing for use cases such as cyber analysis, predictive maintenance, tactical communications kits, sensor kits, or field translation. The appliance includes Vertex AI and Pre-Trained Model APIs (Speech to Text, Translate, and OCR).

The appliance can be conveniently transported in a rugged case or mounted in a rack within customer-specific local operating environments and remain disconnected indefinitely based on mission need.

Enabling efficiency through digital transformation

Customers throughout the federal government today are using Google Cloud to help achieve their missions. For example, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is using Google Cloud technology to develop AI models to assist augmented reality microscope (ARM) detection of certain types of cancer; the U.S. Air Force is using Vertex AI to overhaul their manual processes; and the U.S. Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) is using Google Cloud technology for aircraft maintenance.

Learn more about how Google Cloud solutions can empower your agency and accelerate mission impact and stay up to date with our latest innovations by signing up for the Google Public Sector newsletter.