Royal Navy cyber warfare specialists joined over 150 experts from Five Eyes alliance nations to confront simulated cyberattacks on ships and bases during Exercise Cyber Sentinel, held at the Australian Defence Force’s Cyber Command in Canberra, according to a press release.
The exercise tested the operational preparedness of participants from the UK, Australia, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, focusing on defending critical infrastructure from sophisticated threats.
The UK contingent, a team of five from the Maritime C5ISR Support Unit (MCSU) based in Portsmouth, collaborated with international counterparts, including a US Army intelligence analyst and an Australian RAAF network defender, to protect fictionalized operational environments.
The Royal Navy’s team faced complex challenges, including defending three major networks aboard a simulated HMS Prince of Wales: an administrative network, a command-and-control station, and an Operational Technology system controlling shipboard systems. Initial vulnerabilities were exploited during the scenario, with cyberattacks overriding networks, dumping fuel into the sea, and flooding systems with disruptive data, triggering onboard fires.
The exercise escalated to its climax during “Operation Silver Kiwi,” where multinational teams launched a coordinated counter-offensive to expel hostile actors from the networks. Lieutenant Colonel Trevor Corrigan of the Cyber Forces Group, who directed the exercise, emphasized its importance in preparing allied forces for real-world scenarios.
“The purpose of this exercise was to conduct rehearsal activities for Cyberspace Force and task elements in a mission-relevant terrain against a real-world scenario and threat actors,” said Lt. Col. Corrigan in the press release. “It played a critical role in our ability to assess and validate operational preparedness, including concepts, capabilities, and tactics.”
For the Royal Navy’s MCSU, the exercise provided an opportunity to refine their skills and explore new frameworks for managing command and control operations during global deployments.
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