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Defense Message System Developed by Lockheed Martin Achieves Major DoD Operational Milestone

Owego, NY, May 6th, 2003 -- The Defense Message System (DMS), developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), has completed a major milestone by converting to operational use of V3 certificates. This event represents a major step toward the closure of Automatic Digital Network (AUTODIN).

DMS, which allows DoD users to exchange secure electronic communications around the world, is on schedule to replace the aging AUTODIN in September 2003. DMS has followed a phased development, deployment and operational conversion strategy aimed at incremental steps toward transforming the organizational messaging of the services and agencies to a new highly secure capability.

For the past four years, DMS has operated with V1 certificates supporting unclassified, secret and top secret message protection. The DMS Release 3.0 introduces support for X.509 V3 certificates - which increase the secure message protection capability to include automated access controls for special categories of organizational messages such as messages released to the allies and compartmented or code word traffic. DMS Release 3.0 deployment began in July 2002 with continuing use of V1 certificates. The operational use of V3 certificates began on March 31, 2003.

"We were very pleased with the operational transition from V1 to V3," said Ms. Diann McCoy, the Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) Principal Director for Applications Engineering. "The success of the milestone is a reflection of the hard work by the services and agencies involved with the program and the maturity of the Release 3.0 products."

"The conversion to V3 certificates means the DoD can now begin the final business process transformation to DMS," said Glenn Kurowski, technical director for Secure Enterprise Solutions at Lockheed Martin. "Military services and agencies worked diligently to issue, pre-position and pre-test their V3 certificates in support of this milestone."

DMS messages travel over the DoD's TCP/IP based networks including the Defense Information Systems Network. DMS offers National Security Agency-approved security protection mechanisms for secure writer-to-reader e-mail for organizational messaging. For personnel at home station, on travel, or deployed tactically, it provides an interoperable, global messaging capability. DMS delivered nearly six million messages last month to include forces involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Kurowski noted that DMS is one of the most extensively tested information technology systems in DoD history. He said the system received the highest possible rating in a recent formal DoD operational test.

"As DMS is deployed, Lockheed Martin stands ready to help with training, consultation, and virtually any other information technology services, whenever and wherever they may be required," Kurowski said.

Nancy Woytek, 607-751-2598, nancy.woytek@lmco.com