United Kingdom: a unit specialised in cyber warfare

The British Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, announced on 13 October 2021 that the United Kingdom will create a unit specialised in cyber warfare, both defensive and offensive, called the National Cyber Force.

With a budget of £5 billion, this centre, located in Samlesbury, Lancashire, will be jointly managed by the Ministry of Defence and the British digital intelligence service.

One of the UK’s aims is to have a deterrent offensive force capable of responding to a « level 1 » attack, i.e. one targeting critical national infrastructure such as power stations or communications services.

This approach is modelled on that of the United States, and is intended to dissuade enemy states (Russia, China, North Korea, etc.) from attacking the United Kingdom for fear of retaliation.