Lockheed Martin said it has contracted Guardtime Federal as a key supplier to integrate a variety of cyber-related elements into systems engineering processes, supply chain risk management and software development efforts. 

The company claims it is the first U.S. defense contractor to incorporate blockchain technology into its developmental processes, enabling it to offer “more efficient and assured offerings to the federal government.”

Using Guardtime Federal’s Black Lantern appliances and the nationally distributed Guardtime Federal Core blockchain infrastructure, Lockheed Martin said it plans to realize more efficient and secure software development and supply chain risk management.  

Lockheed Martin and Guardtime Federal are maturing a concept referred to as Cyber Aware Systems Engineering, the company said. The company is also exploring what it called “new, non-traditional approaches, technologies, and processes” to design cybersecurity into its business.   

“These new cybersecurity approaches will enhance data integrity, speed problem discovery and mitigation, and reduce the volume of regression testing, which results in reduced schedule risk,” said Ron Bessire, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics’ Engineering and Technology vice president. “The faster our developers can discover issues, the faster we can deliver.”