Armed Forces hone skills with global allies in countering cyber security threats
The threat to cyber security is global, with no regard for international borders, and some of the Army and RAF personnel working to counter this threat have been honing their skills on a multinational exercise.
The UK has been leading Defence Cyber Marvel 2026, with the week-long exercise in Singapore bringing together more than 2,500 personnel from 70 different organisations and 29 countries to form 36 teams.
The UK contingent included personnel from the Royal Corps of Signals and the Royal Air Force, as well as Government departments such as the National Crime Agency and the Cabinet Office.
Shared challenges
Following the success of last year's exercise in South Korea, Singapore served as the exercise hub for the first time, reflecting the UK's commitment to deepening cooperation with its Indo-Pacific partners on shared security challenges.
The exercise tested the teams on a number of scenarios
Featuring several distinct storylines, the exercise was split between blue and red teams, controlled from a central command point.
Key elements within these included understanding the impact of cyber scenarios and how escalating pressure leads commanders and teams to make different decisions on the ground.
With industry partners taking part alongside military personnel, DCM 2026 also showcased how defence works with the private sector to develop emerging technologies in a controlled environment where they can be stress-tested against realistic threat scenarios.
Responding to cross-border threats
Air Marshal Suraya Marshall, the Deputy Commander of Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, said: "DCM 2026 places cooperation and shared learning at its heart.
"With cyber-attacks from our adversaries now a daily threat to the UK and our allies, this exercise builds relationships and shared procedures essential for responding to cross-border threats.
"Singapore's position as a leading technology and security hub makes it an ideal location for an exercise of this scale.
"The choice of host nation underscores the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region and the UK's ongoing work to strengthen cyber defence partnerships.
"This work also complements our Nato commitments by building a broader network of allies capable of responding to global threats."
Opportunities available
DCM 2026 provided a platform to highlight the professional cyber development opportunities available across UK defence.
With personnel operating under a realistic pressured environment containing traditional IT systems, as well as more complex industry control systems, decision-making and technical skills can be transferred directly to operational settings, helping defend networks and disrupt daily attacks from UK adversaries.
Under the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), the MOD prioritised these critical skills, with investment in the Defence Digital & Cyber Bursary Scheme and the Cyber Direct Entry scheme offering new opportunities for applicants to develop and fast-track their careers into defence.
These programmes, together with the recently announced Defence Gap Year, Defence STEM & Undergraduate Scheme (DSUS), and Technical Defence Graduate and Apprenticeship schemes, support the SDR to create new entry routes into Defence careers.
The winning teams were:
1st – Defence Equipment & Support
2nd – 21 Signal Regiment Royal Corps of Signals and the Ukrainian army
3rd – 16 Signal Regiment Royal Corps of Signals and the Saudi Arabian defence ministry
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