“Cyber power is revolutionising the way we live and fight our wars, just as it did with aviation 100 years ago”, – the prime minister said in a statement, ahead of the publication of a national security strategy review that Johnson is due to present to parliament.
It notes: “The review will set out the importance of developing cyber technology to our current way of life – whether it is defeating our enemies on the battlefield, improving internet security or developing cutting-edge technology to improve people’s lives.”
The media reported that the review would propose cutting the army by a further 12,500 troops to around 70,000, but the defence ministry said on Saturday that talk of cuts at this stage was “speculation”.
Johnson’s statement also said the National Cyber Forces would have a permanent base of deployment in northern England. Their mission is to counter various types of threats, from the operation of foreign air defence systems to the mobile devices of people the government considers to be serious criminals or terrorists.