Secure Runtime Platform for National Security
End Vendor Lock-In
Defense Unicorns built the UDS Core platform as entirely free and open-source software to give users the freedom to access, copy, and modify the underlying code for their mission and end reliance on a single-source vendor.
Package Once; Deploy Anywhere
UDS packages are portable across a wide range of mission environments: supporting multiple cloud providers, on-prem infrastructure, and resource-constrained tactical edge systems.
Ready for Disconnected Operations
UDS was designed from its inception to support disconnected, semi-disconnected, and highly secure environments by packaging all applications and their dependencies for airgap-native deployment.
ATO-Ready Security & Compliance
UDS is built and configured to meet most NIST SP 800-53 technical controls out-of-the-box, ensuring your environment is secure and ATO-ready from the initial deployment.
Opt-In to Advanced Capabilities
UDS Core gets you started, but upgrading to UDS Premium unlocks advanced features like centralized observability and security dashboards, ATO compliance artifacts, and enterprise-level support.
The Open-Source Foundation
UDS Core combines the best of open-source DevSecOps tools into a secure runtime platform.
Upgrade to Advanced Capabilities for Your Mission
Explore how UDS Premium accelerates time-to-value, reduces complexity, and simplifies sustainment.
Near-Real-Time Monitoring & Policy Visibility
Integrated CVE scanning, SBOMs, and compliance insight.
Unified Observability & Resource Management
Track system performance and policy status at a glance.
Assured Security & Policy Enforcement
Secure deployments powered by automated CVE checks and NIST SP 800-53 policy enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
UDS Core is the free, open-source foundation of the UDS platform, purpose-built for secure, portable, and airgap-ready software delivery. It includes essential tools for packaging, deploying, and running mission software in disconnected or classified environments.
UDS Core is ideal for developers, platform engineers, and DevSecOps teams who need to build and deliver software to environments with no persistent connectivity—such as classified, on-prem, or tactical systems.
UDS Core includes:
✔ Zarf packaging tool (for bundling apps and dependencies)
✔ A secure runtime and policy engine
✔ SBOM generation and CVE scanning
✔ Support for airgap deployments
✔ OCI-compliant container support
UDS Core is the free, command-line-driven version of the platform with open-source components. UDS Premium includes enterprise features like a full graphical UI, registry interface, observability tools, hardened images, and 24/7 support. UDS Core is a great entry point—and fully compatible with later upgrades to Premium.
Yes. UDS Core was built for fully disconnected and airgapped environments. All packages can be created and deployed without requiring a persistent network connection.
Yes. UDS Core automates the inclusion of security metadata like SBOMs and CVEs in every package and supports policy enforcement aligned to frameworks like NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5—giving teams a head start on ATO requirements.
Absolutely. UDS Core is infrastructure-agnostic and supports deployment to bare metal, on-prem clusters, classified networks, and other DoD-relevant environments using Kubernetes.
You can get started by visiting the UDS Docs site and reviewing the install guide for UDS Core and Zarf. You’ll find documentation, example packages, and links to the open-source repositories.
Zarf is the packaging tool that powers UDS Core. It bundles applications, configuration, and dependencies into portable artifacts that can be deployed anywhere—even in disconnected environments. UDS Core uses Zarf as its foundation for airgap operations.
Yes. UDS Core is fully open source under a permissive license. Users can download, modify, and run the platform without licensing restrictions. However, premium capabilities like the UI, registry interface, and advanced support are only available through UDS Premium and Tactical Edge.