Britain sends ‘hunt forces’ overseas to tackle cyber threats as tensions skyrocket

Britain sends ‘hunt forces’ overseas to tackle cyber threats as tensions skyrocket A top Army commander warned Britain's adversaries are 'very cunning' and warned of a 'whole-of-UK challenge'. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By James Knuckey 08:22, Mon, Nov 9, 2026 Updated: 08:28, Mon, Nov 9, 2026 Specialist UK troops have been sent abroad to try to thwart cyber threats, it has emerged (Image: Getty) Specialist British forces are being deployed abroad to try and stop cyber attacks against the UK’s defence systems, a top Army officer has revealed.

Major General Mike Fayers, the commander of the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force, described the teams involved as “hunt forces”, who look to disrupt enemy hackers. The operations often require approval from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting , with troops aiming to stop cyber attacks in their early stages in order to prevent them escalating into large-scale attacks. Last week a cyber attack on several blood banks in France sought to raise temperatures to extremely high levels but was thwarted before it could do any damage to blood products or samples, authorities said.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The incident came after supermarkets in a number of European countries reported that their fridges and freezers warmed up after they were remotely taken over, resulting in tons of spoiled food at a total cost of millions of euros. In an interview with The Times, Major General Fayers said: “Our adversaries are very cunning. This is not just an MoD (Ministry of Defence) issue, this is a whole-of-UK challenge.

“We’ve seen AI now exploiting vulnerabilities at a speed we have not seen before. Whereas historically we would have had a few days to fix vulnerabilities, we are now in double-digit minutes to respond to those vulnerabilities.” Get the latest news from around the world and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over.

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Major General Fayers explained that the “hunt forces” represented a shift in focus, from defending the UK’s territory to proactively looking to defend its networks before cyber operations take hold. “We are trying to hunt for our adversaries in places where they prepare before they target UK military systems,” he added.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Week of chaos is a chilling warning to us all - wake up Britain Brits who refuse WW3 conscription face brutal consequences - 'Shame' British Army soldiers on parade (Image: Getty) “I mean sending people physically to places to virtually hunt for the adversary to protect our systems. The threat continues to increase in both its complexity and its persistence.” Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The revelation comes as Britain and its allies continue to warn of growing threats.

Mr Streeting has previously warned the country faces “a greater risk of war” than at any point in his lifetime. The Defence Secretary said “without a shadow of a doubt” Russia is the greatest threat facing the UK. British army Defence Military Cyber attack Cybersecurity Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments