Singapore hosts UK-led cyber-defence exercise for first time

The red team, seen here carrying out various operational scenarios that mimic genuine cyber threats, at ‘Defence Cyber Marvel' 2026 in Singapore. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

Singapore has hosted ‘Defence Cyber Marvel' for the first time, serving as the hub for the week-long UK-led multinational cyber-defence exercise that brings together more than 2,500 personnel from 70 different organisations across 29 countries from 9 to 13 February.

The fifth edition of the exercise saw 36 teams combat simulated cyber threats in a realistic operational environment.

Participating UK government organisations included the UK Ministry of Defence, the National Crime Agency, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Cabinet Office, and the Department of Business and Trade.

Singapore's Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) participated alongside its British Armed Forces counterparts in a combined cyber-defence team.

Now in its fifth year, ‘Defence Cyber Marvel' has evolved from an Army Cyber Association initiative into a triservice operation led by the UK's Cyber & Specialist Operations Command.

The exercise featured several distinct scenarios, split between blue and red teams controlled from a central command point, examining how escalating pressure leads commanders and teams to make different decisions.

The exercise tested participants' ability to co-ordinate international responses against scenarios mirroring genuine cyber threats, including simulated attacks targeting critical infrastructure, government networks, and private-sector systems.

Teams also gained practical experience in countering advanced persistent threat (APT) actors in an evolving digital threat landscape.

In a statement issued to mark the exercise, Air Marshal Suraya Marshall, Deputy Commander of the UK's Cyber & Specialist Operations Command, noted that cyber attacks from adversaries have become a daily threat to the UK and its allies and partners.