The forthcoming UK Cyber and Electromagnetic Command (CyberEM) outlined in the Strategic Defence Review could be a much-needed pillar of modernisation. It follows a line of thinking, pre-dating Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, where electronic warfare (characterised by rigid hardware) and cyber operations are increasingly entwined. If the past is a guide, we have a long way to go. Four years ago, Future Soldier promised to boost the Army’s electronic warfare (EW) capability ‘100%’, while UK doctrine from 2018 highlights the ‘imperative’ to master the ‘convergence’ of cyber and electromagnetic activities (CEMA). This has not translated into reality, either in equipment or training. A well-identified problem is a lack of digital skills not only in the MOD but across the defence industry. Plans to address this may not be bold enough.
The Time-Crunch for CyberEM Command’s Challenges | Royal United Services Institute
