Displaying items by tag: John Healey

The Government plans to invest over £1 billion in advanced cyber warfare capabilities, including a new ‘digital targeting web and a dedicated cyber command, as part of its strategic defence review. Defence secretary John Healey announced the initiative in response to escalating cyber threats, citing over 90,000 state-linked attacks on the UK’s defence systems in the past two years. The new command, led by General Sir Jim Hockenhull, will coordinate both defensive and offensive cyber operations with the National Cyber Force and manage tactics such as signal jamming and communications disruption. The digital targeting web, expected by 2027, will allow real-time coordination between sensors, drones, aircraft, and cyber tools to neutralise threats swiftly. Healey highlighted the rising global cyber conflict and warned that ‘the keyboard has become a weapon of war’. The move aims to defend against hostile states like Russia and China, while equipping the UK with cutting-edge technological warfare capabilities.