A cyber “blue team” of military service students will defend simulated government computer networks against a “red team” of National Security Agency hackers in a Cyber Defense Exercise this week.

The annual war game exercise is being staged in Lockheed Martin Corp.’s facility in Elkridge, Md., the company said in a news release. Lockheed Martin also will provide computer network support and technical support for the project.

“Cyber security is an area of rapidly growing importance, and this exercise will help test out strategies, tactics and technology for defending against increasingly complex attacks on our networks,” Bob Eastman, vice president of information systems for Lockheed Martin, said in the release.

During the exercise, teams from the Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Naval Academy and West Point service academies will set up computer networks with layered cyber defenses.

The Red Team of NSA computer experts will attempt to attack those networks, and a “white team” keeps score by tracking activities on both sides.

This year, West Point is defending their 2007 championship title and Commander’s Trophy.

Lockheed Martin helped NSA create a closed, secure network for the exercise, which links all the academies with the game headquarters at the Lockheed Martin facility in Elkridge.

Lockheed Martin ranks No. 1 on Washington Technology’s 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.