UK Government invests £1bn to equip the army for cyber war, defence secretary reveals

The UK Government will set up a new cyber command to tackle “daily” and “increasing” cyber-attacks from foreign states, the defence secretary has said.

Ministers will also invest £1bn in a ‘digital targeting web’. The tool, to be in operation by 2027, will introduce new artificial intelligence and software and better connect weapon systems to allow the army “strike further and faster”.

John Healy announced the changes, during a visit to the UK military’s cyber headquarters in Wiltshire. When asked if the UK was in a cyber war with Russian and China, he said: “We’re under a daily attack, increasing attacks, and this is the nerve centre of the UK’s military that helps us defend against these attacks and the keyboard has become a weapon of war.”

The new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command will lead on defensive cyber operations. It will coordinate cyber-attacks with the National Cyber Force, intercept and jam signals to drones or missiles as well as intercept enemy communication.

Healy said the upgrade had been triggered from “lessons” learned from the conflict in Ukraine, which showed “in future conflicts, those that prevail will be those who are not just better equipped and better trained but better connected and also capable of innovating ahead of adversaries.”

Earlier this month, the UK, along with international allies, exposed a Russian-sponsored "malicious" cyber campaign that had been targeting a raft of organisations involved in the delivery of support to Ukraine for years. The investigation revealed the cyber operation had managed to gain initial access into victim networks and targeted around 10,000 cameras.

Healy said: “Ways of warfare are rapidly changing – with the UK facing daily cyber-attacks on this new frontline.

“The hard-fought lessons from Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine leave us under no illusions that future conflicts will be won through forces that are better connected, better equipped and innovating faster than their adversaries. 

“We will give our armed forces the ability to act at speeds never seen before - connecting ships, aircraft, tanks and operators so they can share vital information instantly and strike further and faster.”

The plans form part of the upcoming strategic defence review, which is expected to recognise the growing cyber threat posed by hostile nations.

The spending review “will set the vision for the future”, Healy said, “in which we need to be more integrated in the way that we plan and operate, that we need to be more innovating, and become [the] most innovating military in Nato, and above all that we need be able put in the hands of our front line war fighters the sort of  technology as well as the weaponry that they need to be able to deter threats of the future and also fight and win if needed.”

Cyber tensions between the Kremlin and the UK have been on the rise over recent months. In November, intergovernmental minister Pat McFadden warned Nato members of a looming Russian cyber-attack that could “turn the lights off for millions of people”.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) dealt with more than 90,000 cyber incidents in the last two years, and the department itself fell victim to cybercriminals late last year leading to the passwords of almost 600 employees being leaked on the dark web.

However, reports have shown the UK is not equipped to deal with the ongoing issue. In January, the National Audit Office revealed Whitehall’s cyber resilience levels were “lower” than expected, urging ministers to fix the “significant gaps”.  It found 228 “legacy” IT systems were still in operation as of March 2024.

Today’s announcement builds on the MoD’s efforts to boost its cyber capabilities, with a ‘cyber pipeline’ currently in place to fast-track the recruitment of professionals. The scheme significantly reduces the training time required to get into the armed forces.