Eastern Romania recently hosted Steadfast Dart 2025, a large-scale NATO military exercise unfolding against a backdrop of escalating global tensions. British soldiers raised the Union Jack, signaling a clear message of preparedness as the drills commenced.
The exercise isn’t solely focused on traditional warfare. Experts emphasize that cyber operations are now inextricably linked to any modern conflict, acting as a crucial support system for kinetic actions – the use of missiles, bullets, and physical force. The war in Ukraine has starkly demonstrated this, bringing the realities of warfare closer to home and extending the battlefield beyond the front lines.
While physically striking a target might seem simpler, the complexity of a truly impactful cyber operation is immense. Achieving large-scale effects in the digital realm is a formidable challenge, demanding sophisticated planning and execution, with no guarantee of success.
Recent warnings from Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper highlight a surge in hybrid threats across Europe – from drone incursions to insidious cyber attacks. These attacks aren’t random; they are deliberately designed to weaken critical infrastructure, disrupt British interests, and even interfere with democratic processes, all orchestrated by hostile foreign states.
The National Cyber Security Centre has already dealt with a record-breaking 204 nationally significant cyber attacks between January and September, more than double the number recorded in the previous year. Eighteen of these incidents were deemed ‘highly significant,’ possessing the potential to severely disrupt essential services.
Dr. Hüsch, a leading expert in the field, points to active targeting of both public and private UK infrastructure by actors linked to Russia and China. Recent attacks on major companies like M&S and Jaguar Land Rover underscore the vulnerability of the UK private sector, which often manages vital national infrastructure.
Hospitals, schools, and supermarkets are identified as particularly vulnerable targets. The concern extends beyond technical defenses, delving into the unpredictable nature of human behavior under pressure. Dr. Hüsch draws a parallel to the panic buying seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting how supply chain disruptions can trigger widespread anxiety and even antisocial behavior.
This vulnerability isn’t just a technical problem; it’s a social one. Resilience, the ability to withstand and recover from attacks, is paramount. It requires understanding not just how to defend systems, but how to manage the human response to disruption.
These warnings come as the Armed Forces minister suggests the UK is nearing a point of conflict, with the “shadow of war” looming over Europe. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urgently called on all allied nations, including Britain, to significantly increase their defense capabilities against Russia.
Rutte’s message is blunt: complacency is a dangerous luxury. He warns that too many allies underestimate the urgency of the threat and must rapidly increase defense spending and production to prevent a conflict on the scale of past generations. The time for action, he insists, is now.
The UK’s defense spending has been steadily increasing, reaching £60.2 billion in the year to March 2025. This is projected to rise to £62.2 billion this year, and an estimated £73.5 billion by 2028/29. The government has committed to meeting the NATO target of 2.5% of GDP by 2027, increasing to 3.5% by 2035.
Currently, the UK ranks 12th among NATO countries in terms of defense spending as a percentage of GDP. Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – all nations bordering Russia – currently lead the list, demonstrating a clear prioritization of defense in the face of regional threats.
