U.S. Navy Invests $9.5 Million for DLT-Enabled Messaging Platform

According to a press release issued on February 6, 2020, tech platform SIMBA Chain has been awarded a five-year Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract, worth $9.5 million, from the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Centre in San Diego, California. The contract requires SIMBA Chain to deploy a secure, blockchain-powered messaging and transaction platform.

A Critical Need

Per the words of the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD), the need for a distributed ledger technology-enabled messaging and transaction platform is of critical level. Notably, the $9.5 million award is the first and one of the largest SBIR Phase III for blockchain technology.

Notably, an SBIR Phase III non-compete contract is categorized as a Basic Ordering Agreement with a Delivery Order. SIMBA Chain has already finished Phases of an earlier SBIR award, during which the entity developed a decentralized messaging and transaction platform mapped to DoD constructs and tested a working prototype. In Phase III of the contract, SIMBA Chain will aim to commercialize the platform and ensure its full-scale implementation.

Per sources close to the matter, SIMBA Chain’s DLT platform will meet the organization’s immediate need of NAVWAR, communication system hardware and software, modernization and sustainment capabilities for both land and sea assets that play a role in undersea systems communication by connecting the Blockchain Fabric from seabed to space.

U.S. DoD to Leverage DLT to Develop a “Bulletproof” Platform

Commenting on the development, SIMBA Chain CEO, Joel Neidig said:

“This is a win not just for SIMBA and our partners, but also for the DoD, which has pursued with single-minded focus, a solution to conduct sensitive, mission-critical operations in a manner that is immutable and non-refutable. We plan to deliver a ‘bulletproof’ platform that meets all objectives.”

It’s worth highlighting that SIMBA Chain runs of Microsoft Azure. Tom Keane, Corporate Vice President, Azure Global at Microsoft Corp. commented:

“We’re supporting the DoD’s vision and SIMBA Chain’s expertise through Microsoft Azure’s vast cloud infrastructure and ability to scale globally, quickly, reliably and securely. Microsoft Azure leads the industry with over 90 compliance offerings, meeting a broad set of international and industry-specific regulatory standards. Advancing the implementation of the Navy’s messaging platform presents a unique opportunity to transform the industry surrounding sensitive information at a time when data security is paramount.”