May 7, 2015
The US Navy is reportedly looking for a new server supplier for some of its guided missile cruisers and destroyers due to security concerns around Lenovo’s recent purchase of IBM’s x86 server division.
The Chinese hardware giant acquired IBM’s System x, BladeCenter and Flex System blade servers and switches, and its NeXtScale and iDataPlex servers and software in autumn last year in a $2.1bn deal – propelling it to a position as the third largest x86 server provider globally.
However, that’s not gone down too well with the government, according to USNI News <http://news.usni.org/2015/05/05/navy-needs-new-servers-for-aegis-cruisers-and-destroyers-after-chinese-purchase-of-ibm-line> .
“The Department of Homeland Defense identified security concerns with the IBM Blade Center sale and placed restrictions on federal government procurement of Lenovo Blade Center server products,” Navy spokesman Dale Eng told the site.
The decision will affect the Navy’s Aegis Combat System – an integrated naval weapons system developed by Lockheed Martin which includes ballistic guided missile destroyers and cruisers.