Latest news with #CyberEMCommand
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'UK's new defence plan could be biggest change in 150 years - if it happens'
This has been called the biggest change to UK defence in around 150 years - and on the face of it that could well be the case. That is if any of the much-vaunted changes actually come about and within the time it is being suggested they need to happen. Take the army numbers for instance. Many hoped these would be boosted from less than 73,000 as they currently stand. This is by no means intentional even though numbers were brutally cut over years of Tory rule. It is a result of poor recruitment and retention. There is only the possibility of a 'small uplift.' It says: 'Overall we envisage an increase in the total of Regular personnel when finding allows. This includes a small uplift in Army Regulars as a priority.' But there is mention of 'increasing the number of Active Reserves by 20% - when funding allows - most likely in the 2030s…' There is no promise to increase troop numbers and it merely means they might be increased if we can afford it if and when the need arises. The SDR - the most important one in decades - comes at a time of soaring hostility with Russia, whilst China, Iran and North Korea are also threats of varying degrees. And it promises a great deal whilst the big question is whether it will deliver too. One of the biggest problems for the UK in time of war would be air defences, how to shoot down incoming missiles. Currently, if it were large and fast incoming missiles this might be undertaken by one the UK's Type 45 destroyers, as a sea to air defence or F35B or Typhoon fighter jets as in air-to-air. Or the Army maye use Sky Sabre, a lorry mounted air defence system which replaced Rapier. That system fires anti-air missiles. In his introduction defence secretary John Healey clearly says: 'We will protect the UK homeland with up to £1bn new funding invested in homeland air and missile defence and creating a new CyberEM Command to defend Britain from daily attacks in the grey zone.' But it turns out this is not a shiny new air defence system such as Israel had , like the Iron Dome or David's Sling. It is merely a continuation of the Type 45 - fighter jet defences, just with better communication and integration. Like many reviews, the lack of granularity could make you suspect there's not much in it. The emphasis on AI, the risk of space wars, combating the threat from cyber assaults is all there and alarming and reassuring at the same time. It is reassuring the weapons production is being stepped up with six new missiles factories being created, boosting jobs and UK defences. But we don't know what they are, if they are new or what will fire them. The very fact this review happened is good and shows the government is getting things done on defence. But there will be huge trade-offs, perhaps with manning moving aside for new high-tech weaponry. Cost is going to be a huge issue and it remains to be seen if all of this can be afforded.
Spectator
02-06-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Is Britain ‘battle-ready'?
Today the government has published the long-awaited strategic defence review. The brief was to take a new look at some of the challenges to the UK in 2025, and what is needed to ensure our security and reset our defence priorities. We are still waiting for some of the detail, but so far we know: £15 billion for new warheads to be carried by the new Dreadnought-class submarines; a dozen new SSN-Aukus attack submarines; £1.5 billion to build at least six munitions' factories; £6 billion to procure munitions over the remainder of this parliament; and £1 billion for digital capability and a new CyberEM Command. Where is all that money coming from? Most of the squabbling today has been over the commitment to 3 per cent of GDP on defence spending. Labour have so far only gone as far as to say that's an 'ambition'. But are Labour being ambitious enough? Is the UK still a global player when it comes to defence if we can't commit to 3 per cent? Oscar Edmondson speaks to James Heale and Emma Salisbury, research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Metro
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
UK's new £1,000,000,000 cyber command that aims to defeat Putin's hackers
Britain will flush more than £1 billion on artificial intelligence and a cyber team in response to major Russian attacks authorised by Vladimir Putin. From tech and logistics to airports and air traffic control, the UK has been in the firing line since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and more than 90,000 hacks have been detected in the last two years. Attacks have been on the rise and so has their level of sophistication. This is why John Healey declared that the armed forces must be given the upper hand in the growing online battlefield. Speaking on Wednesday from MoD Corsham, the UK's military cyber HQ, the defence secretary confirmed that the Kremlin has 'stepped up' attacks. He said: 'Certainly the intensity of the cyber attacks that we're seeing from Russia stepped up, and cyber is now the leading edge, not just of defence, but of contests and tension between countries.' He said there is a 'level of cyber warfare that is continual and intensifying' that requires the UK to step up its capacity to defend against it. Healey announced that a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command will lead this 'digital fightback'. It will also oversee the £1 billion investment in upgraded targeting systems known as 'kill web'. The government has remained tightlipped about it. What we know is that it will operate by using AI and new software. In a new era of threat we're investing in pioneering technology to combat daily cyber part of the Strategic Defence Review @JohnHealey_MP has launched a £1 billion Digital Targeting Web and CyberEM Command to coordinate the UK's defensive and offensive capabilities. — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 29, 2025 It will connect military weapons systems across all three forces, enabling quicker decisions to be made on the battlefield. More Trending For example, it could identify a threat using a sensor on a ship or in space and then disable it using an F-35 aircraft, drone, or offensive cyber operation, the ministry of defence said. Healey added: '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.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Leader who killed 6,000,000 of his own honoured in new statue MORE: The bizarre reason Russia wants to ban Shrek and other beloved animations MORE: Putin threats to 'throttle' US firms like Microsoft and Zoom in words war with Trump
