On the eve of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s prestigious Future Combat Air System Summit, attention is turning to how the UK’s ambitious Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will address complex cybersecurity and AI integration challenges. Kahootz is pleased to announce that our CEO, Luca Leone, will be moderating a key panel on “AI, Cybersecurity, and the Future of UK Defence” at the summit. Drawing on his extensive background in aerospace and defence collaboration, Leone will guide discussions on how secure information sharing underpins the networked combat systems that will form the backbone of Britain’s future air power.
The UK’s Global Combat Air Programme and European Initiatives
The UK-led Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) represents one of the most significant defence initiatives in British aviation history. With Italy and Japan as core partners, the UK Ministry of Defence has committed £2 billion to GCAP since 2021 and has budgeted over £12 billion for the programme over the next ten years. This ambitious project aims to deliver a sixth-generation fighter aircraft by 2035, replacing the current Typhoon fleet.
While the UK advances its GCAP initiative, continental Europe is pursuing its own sixth-generation fighter programme:
Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF: Involving France, Germany, and Spain, with Belgium expected to become a full partner by June 2025. This programme divides industrial responsibilities among the partners, with France (Dassault Aviation) leading fighter development, Germany (Airbus) leading Remote Carriers and Combat Cloud development, and Spain (Indra) leading sensors.
Both programmes aim to deliver advanced networked combat systems, but the UK’s GCAP initiative specifically focuses on sovereign capabilities that address British defence requirements. The panel at the FCAS Summit will primarily explore the cybersecurity and AI challenges facing the UK programme, while drawing insights from parallel international developments.
Cybersecurity Challenges in Next-Generation Combat Aircraft
Modern combat aircraft face unprecedented cybersecurity threats as they evolve from standalone platforms into nodes in complex digital networks. These networked systems create new attack surfaces for adversaries, with research showing a 600% increase in ransomware attacks targeting aviation supply chains in recent years.
Key vulnerabilities include data link communications, firmware security, supply chain integrity, and the expanding Internet of Things (IoT) within aviation systems. For example, a 2022 cyber attack on Russia’s Civil Aviation Authority resulted in complete data loss, demonstrating the potential impact of targeted attacks on aviation authorities.
AI systems introduce additional security challenges, including:
- Adversarial machine learning attacks that can deceive target recognition systems
- AI model theft through sophisticated queries and reverse engineering
- Limited explainability of AI “black box” systems, making it difficult to identify when they’ve been compromised
These challenges are particularly acute in multinational programmes like FCAS, where secure information sharing across borders is essential while maintaining national sovereignty over sensitive data.
AI Integration in Defence Aerospace
Next-generation combat aircraft are increasingly integrating AI capabilities that transform their operational potential. Recent developments include:
- Autonomous flight and combat manoeuvres demonstrated in tests where AI systems have defeated experienced fighter pilots
- Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) systems where a single pilot can control multiple uncrewed aircraft simultaneously
- AI-enhanced target recognition and sensor fusion capabilities that provide comprehensive situational awareness
- Advanced decision support systems that help pilots manage increasing information loads during missions
As Ignacio Rosell, FCAS Combat Cloud Product Solution Lead at Airbus describes it, they are developing “an important part of the ‘Internet of Military Things'” where different platforms integrate different capabilities and operate collaboratively.
The Critical Role of Secure Collaboration in FCAS
The multinational nature of FCAS creates unique collaboration challenges that require sophisticated secure information sharing solutions. These include:
- National sovereignty concerns where each participating nation wants to maintain control over sensitive technologies
- Intellectual property management between prime contractors like Dassault (France) and Airbus (Germany)
- Security classification differences that create barriers to seamless information exchange
- Cross-border regulatory compliance with different national regulations on defence technology transfer
Effective collaboration platforms must balance these security requirements with the need for efficient information sharing. Successful approaches include risk-based security controls, standardised protocols for handling classified information, Zero Trust architectures, and multi-level security systems.
Kahootz’s Defence Sector Experience
Kahootz has established itself as a leader in secure collaboration for defence applications, particularly through our long-standing relationship with the UK Ministry of Defence. Our journey with the MOD began in 2015 when the Information Systems and Services (ISS) selected Kahootz to power “Defence Share” following a formal competition through the G-Cloud procurement framework.
This platform enables the MOD to safely share information up to ‘OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE’ classification with defence industry partners, other government departments, and allied nations via both MOD private networks and the public internet. Defence Share has seen remarkable growth in users over the years, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing defence collaboration needs.
Key security features that make Kahootz suitable for defence applications include:
- Formal accreditation for information up to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE classification
- ISO 27001 certification with an excellent record of zero failures in security audits
- Regular security testing to the CHECK standard by government-approved specialists
- Strong encryption using cypher suites and TLS1.2 for all traffic
- Detailed access controls that ensure sensitive information is only accessible to authorised personnel
As Craig Savery, IT Strategy and Architecture Assistant Head at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), noted: “This secure online service makes sharing information far easier, ensuring DE&S teams can work more efficiently with any authorised external organisation and industry partners.”
Looking Forward to the FCAS Summit
The upcoming Royal Aeronautical Society FCAS Summit represents a critical opportunity for stakeholders across the UK defence aerospace sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the Global Combat Air Programme. As British defence companies work to balance security requirements with the need for efficient collaboration with international partners, secure information sharing platforms like Kahootz provide essential infrastructure for protected communication.
We look forward to contributing to these important discussions and demonstrating how secure collaboration platforms can address the complex requirements of the UK’s defence programmes. The integration of AI and robust cybersecurity will be central to the success of Britain’s next-generation combat aircraft, and we are proud to support that journey.
Join us at the FCAS Summit in May 2025 to hear Luca Leone moderate what promises to be an insightful and thought-provoking panel on the future of cybersecurity and AI in UK defence aerospace.
