UK and Australia Discuss Digital Defence and Emerging Threats

News story

UK and Australia discuss digital defence and emerging threats

Australia's recent defence changes offer valuable insights for the UK's newly announced Strategic Defence Review.

From: Strategic Command Published 18 July 2025

From left to right: WO Suzie Hall, JCG CSEL WO; Lt Gen Susan Coyle, Australia Chief of Joint Capabilities; Sqn Ldr A Porter, Director Cyber and EM; AVM Tom Ashbridge, Director Cyber and EM; Maj Gen Robert 'Doc' Watson, Commander ADF Cyber Command; Brig James Dennis, PJHQ J6 ACOS
MOD Crown Copyright

Australia remains one of the UK’s closest partners and in an increasingly dangerous world, working with our international partners has never been more important. Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, Australia’s Chief of Joint Capabilities, and Major General Robert Watson from the Australian Defence Force’s Cyber Command visited Strategic Command where they were welcomed by Commander General Sir Jim Hockenhull and Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Sir Tom Copinger-Symes to share lessons from their 2023 defence review and discuss progress on the AUKUS partnership.

The visit focussed on four main areas where both nations are adapting defence to address modern threats. Australia now brings together cyber, space, intelligence and logistics teams under single commands, allowing different military specialities to work together more effectively. This approach mirrors what the UK wants to achieve through its Strategic Defence Review.

Lieutenant General Coyle and Major General Watson visited the new UK Cyber Command facility at Ministry of Defence Corsham, where our teams protect the country’s digital networks from online attacks. They were among the first senior international visitors to see the headquarters, with Air Vice-Marshal Ashbridge leading detailed discussions about cyber threats and defence methods during their time at Corsham. These talks showed how both the UK and Australia need specialist teams to tackle digital threats, working closer together on cyber defence and shared ways to protect military networks.

Conversations also included progress on AUKUS capabilities beyond submarine development. The three nations, the UK, US and Australia, are developing artificial intelligence, smart systems and cyber capabilities that will define future warfare. Australia’s experience implementing these new technologies provides valuable lessons for UK programmes.

Australia’s Joint Capabilities Group, led by Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, operates similarly to Strategic Command. Both are designed to integrate capabilities across the single services, showing how close allies learn from each other’s experiences to speed up defence transformation and maintain military advantage.

By combining Australia’s lessons with the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, both countries are building the modern defence capabilities needed to stay ahead of new threats and ensure we remain ahead of our adversaries in an increasingly dangerous world.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

• Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 18 July 2025

Related content