QinetiQ Team Wins UK Military Mission Data Contract

Pictured are Soldiers deployed on Exercise Army Cyber Spartan taking part in creating traffic for the network in order to enable the Blue and Red teams taking part in the exercise to complete their tasks. Exercise Army Cyber Spartan 5 (ACS5) is an offensive and defensive cyber exercise on a live network with the aim to attract the widest talent. Ex. ACS5 welcomes participation from across the Field Army, with units invited to form Blue teams consisting of 10 people each with up to 30 Blue Teams in total. The Blue Teams are the exercising troops and are defending and administering representatives’ systems and services in a military context, whilst ensuring continued access to user. The Red Team are the opposing force (OPFOR) and their role is to attempt a series of exploits to gain access to information or disrupt normal service operation. These are the actions that the Blue Team are defending against.Pictured are Soldiers deployed on Exercise Army Cyber Spartan taking part in creating traffic for the network in order to enable the Blue and Red teams taking part in the exercise to complete their tasks. Exercise Army Cyber Spartan 5 (ACS5) is an offensive and defensive cyber exercise on a live network with the aim to attract the widest talent. Ex. ACS5 welcomes participation from across the Field Army, with units invited to form Blue teams consisting of 10 people each with up to 30 Blue Teams in total. The Blue Teams are the exercising troops and are defending and administering representatives’ systems and services in a military context, whilst ensuring continued access to user. The Red Team are the opposing force (OPFOR) and their role is to attempt a series of exploits to gain access to information or disrupt normal service operation. These are the actions that the Blue Team are defending against.

British soldiers on a mission data activity under Exercise Army Cyber Spartan. Photo: Cpl Cameron Eden/UK Ministry of Defence

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded QinetiQ-led consortium “Team Pegasus” an 80-million-pound ($98 million) contract to provide data solutions for British military systems.

The agreement will see the provision of mission data that further protects British military personnel and capabilities “in a rapidly changing threat landscape,” improving the armed forces’ advanced military systems.

The consortium will also deliver electronic warfare skills solutions, related training, and IT support for the military services.

UK Societas Program

The program is part of the UK’s SOCIETAS modernization initiative pushing for the rapid production of mission data to maintain an information advantage over evolving adversaries.

Defence Cyber SchoolDefence Cyber School
Defence Cyber School. Photo: Dave Jenkins/UK MoD

“The Project SOCIETAS arrangement is a new and collaborative way of working with Industry to deliver critical operational outputs,” UK Defence Intelligence, Director Strategy and Enterprise Services Official Naomi Roberts explained.

“We look forward to working with Team Pegasus, over the next 10 years, to expand and upskill the Mission Data workforce across both Defence and Industry, and develop new and innovative ways of working, to meet the increasing demands and complexity of Mission Data capabilities.”

Team Pegasus

Under Team Pegasus, QinetiQ will execute the program alongside Northrop Grumman, Inzpire, SRC UK, Metrea Mission Data, Warner McCall, Mercury EW, Lincoln, and Cranfield Universities.

“This partnership will create 70 new jobs in the UK and upskill over 200 of our personnel in the latest technology and data analysis techniques,” UK Defence Procurement Minister Alex Chalk said.

“The contract demonstrates how the MoD works closely with industry to build the skills of the future and introduce innovative approaches to enhance mission capability,” QinetiQ UK Intelligence CEO James Willis added.

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