LITTLETON, Colo. - Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Rotary and Mission Systems business has received an $88.56 million contract to produce, install, maintain, modernize, and sustain Radiant Mercury General Service cross-domain solution systems for the U.S. Navy and other government agencies.

The cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract covers program management, system security authorization support, logistics, and training, as well as production and sustainment. Radiant Mercury enables controlled information transfer between security domains, helping military and government organizations share operational data while maintaining restrictions on access to sensitive information.

Cross-domain solutions (CDS) provide controlled interfaces for transferring information between security domains with different classification levels, access controls, or information-handling requirements. The National Security Agency (NSA) oversees government cross-domain security policy and related technical requirements, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publishes cybersecurity guidance addressing information-flow enforcement and related security controls.

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A cross-domain solution must enforce rules governing what information can pass between connected environments, the direction it can travel, and the conditions under which a transfer is permitted.

Controlling information across security boundaries

Cross-domain security mechanisms can inspect information as it moves through a system and determine whether it meets the security policy governing a particular transfer. Depending on the approved architecture and mission requirements, controls can include validating data structures, filtering content, restricting permitted information flows, and preventing data that fails security checks from reaching a receiving network.

These functions address risks in both directions. Information moving from a more restricted network to a less restricted environment could expose classified material if it is released improperly. Information entering a highly protected network from a less trusted domain could introduce malicious content or inadequately validated data.

Data sanitization and controlled downgrading are distinct from simply encrypting a connection. Encryption protects information against unauthorized disclosure in transit, but it does not confirm whether the receiving domain is authorized to accept it. Sanitization applies approved rules to information before transfer, while downgrading involves an authorized change in classification or handling status. Neither process should be understood as unrestricted permission to release sensitive information.

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Lockheed Martin has described Radiant Mercury as a system that scrutinizes information transferred between security domains and protects classified information from unauthorized disclosure. Historical company descriptions also identify support for numerous data formats and simultaneous information flows. In 2010, the company reported capabilities involving hundreds of data formats and channels. Those figures are historical and should not be interpreted as verified specifications for the current system.

Trusted computing and system assurance

Radiant Mercury provides a relevant example of the broader engineering challenges involved in trusted information exchange. The security of a cross-domain solution depends not only on individual components, but also on whether the system consistently enforces its intended security policy.

Cross-domain architectures can incorporate software filters, protocol adapters, data-processing functions, and administrative controls. The specific architecture varies by implementation, and the latest Navy contract announcement does not detail the hardware, software, or security mechanisms used in the current Radiant Mercury configuration.

Verification and configuration management are also important throughout a cross-domain system's service life. Changes to software, hardware, supported data formats, or network interfaces can affect security assumptions and may require additional assessment before an updated configuration is authorized for operational use.

The NSA's National Cross Domain Strategy and Management Office develops government guidance and requirements for cross-domain architectures, security, implementation, and assessment. Its Cross Domain Solutions Testing Program supports evaluating these systems. This oversight reflects the importance of ensuring a system meets applicable security requirements before authorizing it to transfer sensitive information.

Modernization and sustainment

The Navy's contract covers continued production, installation, maintenance, modernization, and sustainment of Radiant Mercury systems. It also includes support for system security authorization, logistics, and training services.

The three-year ordering period runs from 20 Oct. 2026 through 19 Oct. 2029. Individual task orders will establish specific requirements, performance locations, periods of performance, and funding.