Army taps AWS and WWT to boost AI-enabled cybersecurity initiative
The Army’s Project Griffin is moving forward with the selection of Amazon Web Services and World Wide Technology to support the AI-enabled cybersecurity initiative, the service announced this week.
The pilot effort, which has a combined total value of $2.6 million, falls under the Army Rapid Development of Cyber Defense Systems (ARDS) program and is driven by the project manager for cyber warfare under the portfolio management executive for intelligence and spectrum warfare.
“Project Griffin is one of the first efforts under Project ARDS, which is advancing the Army’s adoption of SI-enabled cyber defense capabilities through rapid sprints in conjunction with industry partners,” Brandon Pugh, the secretary of the Army’s principal cyber advisor, said in a statement, using an acronym to refer to super intelligence, which is the Trump administration’s preferred name for artificial intelligence.
“We will swiftly implement SI-enabled cyber tools to detect, divert and deceive threat actors, and rapidly adopt agentic SI to securely scale network defense and disruption. The selection of AWS and WWT allows us to move at the speed of business required to deliver that capability,” Pugh added.
Army Cyber Command is also involved in the initiative.
Project Griffin is moving forward as defense officials try to confront the growing threat of potential AI-enabled digital attacks in cyberspace against their systems.
The Army aims to develop an ecosystem of agents that will use information gleaned from its panoply of network sensors and take defensive measures to thwart potential threats, faster than a human operator can.
The department released a solicitation in August seeking agentic AI solutions for an Intelligent Response and Orchestration Node (IRON) capability under Project Griffin.
At the annual AUSA conference in Washington earlier this month, Pugh said the Army received over 100 industry submissions, ultimately picking two vendors. He did not identify the awardees at the time.
Defense officials are keen to tap into the expertise of the commercial sector.
“Partnering with commercial industry is a national security imperative for the Army, as the private sector drives rapid innovation in superintelligence, cloud architecture and cyber operations capabilities,” Col. David Bergmann, project manager for cyber warfare, said in a statement accompanying this week’s announcement about the selection of AWS and WWT.
“Through our flexible procurement methods, we were able to quickly seek out SI solutions that will advance the cyber warfighter. Working with industry guarantees the Army maintains technological overmatch and secures the modern digital high ground against adversaries,” he added.
Media and PR officials at AWS and WWT did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Keith Linenberger, an area vice president at WWT, highlighted the company’s selection for Project Griffin in a post on LinkedIn.
“WWT is partnering with Crogl to deliver API- and MCP-based integrations connecting AI agents with the tools and data cyber teams rely on. This prototype is an exciting opportunity to help translate emerging AI capabilities into operational impact and mirrors similar efforts we are delivering in the [U.S. Air Force],” he wrote.
