Airbus Group Innovations UK has been awarded a £1.4 million research contract to help British forces stay ahead of the growing threat and sophistication of cyber attacks – which could potentially affect military networks and operations.

The study covers the initial development and evaluation of a 3-D virtual world for shared situational awareness of cyber threats, and is part of a project run by the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) research and technology arm.

The concept being developed by Airbus Group Innovations as part of its study for Dstl will allow military decision makers to draw on a wide range of expertise and information to assess cyber security situations in real time.

Called the Virtual Cyber Centre of Operations, this concept is a collaborative environment which gives commanders a better understanding of cyber threats. Through the shared platform, military decision makers can access experts and information from around the world to assess cyber threats in real time – evaluating whether potential incidents are isolated, or part of a more sophisticated attack that could impact an entire operation or network.

Dr Kevin Jones, Research Team Leader – Cyber Operations, Airbus Group Innovations UK, said: “As cyber threats continue to develop in complexity and technological advancement, Airbus Group Innovations is a key part of the MOD’s next step into modern cyber defence and understanding. The research performed in this study, which is scheduled to run through March 2016, will lead toward a technological demonstrator for the Virtual Cyber Centre of Operations concept.”