MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 13, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has established an Army Knowledge Online (AKO)/Defense Knowledge Online (DKO) Emerging Technologies Lab with the aim of delivering Web-based capabilities and services to the warfighter and other users with even more speed, reliability and security.
AKO and DKO provide secure e-mail, file storage and management, instant messaging, directory services and collaboration tools to active and reserve service members, family members of deployed personnel, retirees and other U.S Department of Defense personnel.
Northrop Grumman executives were joined by several U.S. Army officials and representatives from AKO partner companies as they cut the ribbon on Monday, August 10, officially opening the lab.
Northrop Grumman and its team will use the lab to evaluate, integrate and demonstrate emerging technologies and capabilities before they are implemented on the AKO/DKO enterprise portal.
The team's priorities include examining new means of authentication for users to improve security against constant threats. The team will also prototype means to deliver information into the hands of mobile warfighters who are using mobile devices with small screens.
"Because the lab is a scaled replica of the AKO/DKO production environment, we can conduct remarkably realistic testing, rapid prototyping and preliminary integration of new capabilities prior to implementation. It also supports commercial off-the-shelf product evaluations," said Jill Kale, vice president of Defense Enterprise Solutions with Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector.
"Northrop Grumman -- along with our technology and solutions partners -- is fully committed to providing our warfighters with the best systems possible. The environment we've created in this lab fosters a level of collaboration and technology exploration that will help us work and perform our best for the benefit of our service men and women," Kale said.
AKO/DKO, which is managed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems, has grown from a pilot program to an enterprise system with 2.3 million registered users.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.