In an announcement made shortly before the visit of president Trump, MoD claims that deal will enable military and defence sector to access the latest AI, analytics, and security tech

The Ministry of Defence has announced a major new agreement with Google Cloud, which government claims will help the UK better share intelligence with allies.

The deal – which the MoD said is worth £400m – will mean that the UK defence and intelligence services will benefit from “the latest technology developed by Google Cloud, including AI, data analytics, and cybersecurity”.

In an announcement issued shortly before the start of the state visit of US president Donald Trump – who arrived in the UK yesterday – the ministry said that the engagement will support improved collaboration between the two countries, and with allies around the globe.

Google’s platforms “will be used by defence intelligence and national security specialists to share secure information between our partners and outcompete our adversaries”.

While the government will spend significant sums on the tech giant’s services, in turn, “the deal has already led to millions of pounds of inward investment from Google Cloud, who will recruit a specialist dedicated team in the UK to manage the technology”.

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This team will enable the arrangement’s “strict data sovereignty and security controls, ensuring that the MoD’s critical data remains under direct UK control”, according to the government.

Defence secretary John Healey said: “Today’s investment shows how defence is an engine for growth, supporting highly skilled UK jobs and a vibrant British tech start-up ecosystem. Secure, seamless communication with our allies is crucial for national security and Google Cloud’s investment will build up our world-leading secret tech for the future. The deal also delivers on the Strategic Defence Review, helping us develop the latest digital technology to counter our adversaries.”

That review, published earlier this summer, set out scores of recommendations for the future of the military and the wider defence sector – including increased use of artificial intelligence, automation, and other forms of technology.

These tech upgrades come “after years of underfunding and hollowing out under the previous administration” which, according to recent comments from defence readiness minister Luke Pollard, has created “a need to invest more to bring our systems up to date”.

Announcing the Google Cloud partnership, General Sir James Hockenhull of the MoD’s Cyber and Specialist Operations Command said:The Ministry of Defence is committed to utilising next-generation technology and AI to enhance our operational capabilities and ensure the security of the United Kingdom. This partnership is a critical component of our digital transformation strategy, and we are pleased to partner with Google Cloud to deliver a secure and resilient cloud environment for our highly sensitive data.”

The cloud vendor’s EMEA president Tara Brady added: “Google Cloud is dedicated to supporting the UK government’s mission to develop a robust and resilient infrastructure and harness the latest technology innovations. This partnership will enable the MOD to accelerate its digital modernisation efforts while maintaining the highest levels of security and data sovereignty.”