Stronger together: International cyber partnerships
Leading cyber is a core priority, part of this is sharing our expertise with and learning from international partners so we can better protect global security.
Major General James Roddis with personnel from the German Cyber and Information Domain Service.
In an increasingly uncertain world, new threats and technologies are constantly emerging. It is vital that we hone and adapt our cyber capabilities to compete with and deter our adversaries. Strong international relationships are pivotal to this success.
One of these partnerships is with the German Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIDS) which signed a bilateral arrangement with Strategic Command in July 2022. Recent staff talks, which were held at our Development, Concept and Doctrine Centre in Shrivenham, took our cooperation to the next level.
Major General James Roddis, Director Strategy, co-chaired the talks alongside Brigadier General Dietmar Mosmann, his counterpart from CIDS. Discussions focused on how best to develop our cyber people, joint training and exercising, support to multi-domain operations, and provide enhanced collaboration around information activities. These are areas where the UK and Germany can combine forces extremely effectively to drive change in our own institutions but more importantly into the NATO alliance.
While UK’s cyber and information relationship with Germany plays an important part in transforming NATO, whether this be on cyber, digitalisation or multi-domain operations, our alliances and partnerships extend far beyond NATO and have a global reach, including with Japan, Singapore and of course our close Five Eyes partners.
Key bilateral events with Australia have enabled us to further share best practice, with General Jim Hockenhull discussing our efforts to learn from the Australian Defence Strategic Review with Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell.
Recent conversations with Japan’s Cyber Defense Command shared more about our role at the forefront of digital capabilities, following on from General Hockenhull’s visit to Tokyo last year and the signing of the Cyber Partnership agreement and the landmark Hiroshima Accord.
Having a strong digital defence will be crucial over the coming years. Rapidly evolving technology, the proliferation of AI, and our adversaries’ intent on unconventional ways of disruption mean the knowledge and capabilities shared through our international relationships will continue to be vital.
Read more on the cooperation agreement between the UK and Germany here: Cyber Co-operation with Germany Strengthens - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Our relationship with the Japanese Cyber Defense Command is discussed in more detail here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strategic-command-shares-cyber-expertise-with-japan
Find out more about Australia’s Chief of Defence Force visit to Strategic Command here: Australia’s Chief of the Defence Force meets with General Jim Hockenhull - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)