DARPA awards contracts to develop cyber testing environment

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded multiple contracts to begin the first phase of developing a nation cyber range, a realistic environment for cyber research and testing, DARPA announced.

DARPA officials want the cyber range to be capable of testing several technologies that include security systems that could modify or replace workstation operating systems, and local area network security tools that may replace or modify traditional network operating systems.

Six companies and one university were awarded contracts totaling approximately $30 million DARPA said Jan. 7. BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin Corp., Science Applications International Corp., Sparta, Northrop Grumman Corp., General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems and Johns Hopkins University won contracts, the agency said.

DARPA officials plan to use the cyber range to test technology for the Global Information Grid, the Defense Department's network for warfighters and other personnel. The range must also be able to replicate large-scale military and government networks. It must also replicate commercial and tactical wireless systems.