Under a new three-year contract, defence company Leonardo has been chosen by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to manage ‘red team and cyber adversary simulation’ operations across UK Armed Forces bases and networks. As hostile states step up attempts to sow disruption and chaos, the new service will ensure that UK Armed Forces are as well defended and resilient as possible.
A red team plays the role of an adversary, by simulating a cyber-attack against an organisation based on real world tactics, techniques and procedures, to test resilience and identify ways of improving cyber security. This can involve a combination of live activities to test on-site security, as well as simulated cyber attacks against critical networks.
Leonardo already provides red team services to a range of customers. However, under this new contract, the company will be working closely with the MOD to manage the smooth delivery of the red team simulations. Leonardo will provide technical and delivery support to the MOD, to hire best-of-British red teams and cyber security experts from large consultancies to specialist SMEs, to carry out simulated attacks against a range of military targets.
The three-year contract has been placed by the MOD’s Strategic Command and will see Leonardo work closely with UKStratCom security leads to establish a ‘Red Team Delivery Cell’.
Leonardo already supports cyber security efforts the length and breadth of the MOD estate, under the Defence Digital Cyber Resilience Programme. Wherever there’s a digital system, Leonardo might either audit it or check if it’s a cyber risk. This ‘investigations as a service’ provision covers a range of Armed Forces networks.
The red team and cyber adversary simulation contract is part of the growth of Leonardo’s UK-based cyber security business. The Cyber & Security Division doubled their revenue between 2020 and 2023, achieving £100m revenue in 2024. This is in line with the company’s broader European and global strategy in the cyber security sector, to strengthen services, technologies and collaborative efforts to accelerate the demand for Cyber Resilience Services. Leonardo has more recently achieved significant results with major contracts, partnering with prime technology leaders and pursuing further opportunities in cyber security, secure digital solutions and mission-critical communication. This reinforces the company’s position in Europe, responding with advanced proprietary products and innovative solutions to meet evolving digital transformation requirements at both a national and international level.