France enhances armed forces cybersecurity training with Airbus
The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has initiated a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to advance the training and education of cybersecurity professionals across armed forces.
This contract encompasses instruction for cyber personnel within various military branches.
Airbus will lead the eight-year contract, with cybersecurity group Neverhack serving as the co-contractor.
The contract involves development, production, and operational maintenance of training platforms.
Additionally, it will provide services that include training, coaching, and the crafting of operational cyber defence scenarios.
Airbus will establish a cyber defence training centre at the Cyber Defence Academy of the Cyber Defence Command (COMCYBER) located in the Rennes region.
This facility is set to play a crucial role in the operational readiness of “cyber warriors,” offering specialised training tailored to various cyber specialist roles.
The initiative is to expand the cadre of cybersecurity experts and elevate the cyber defence capabilities within the armed forces, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and operational sophistication.
The training platforms will facilitate the simulation of cyber-attack defence exercises pertinent to military operations on digital battlegrounds. They will also be instrumental in large-scale national and multinational exercises such as Orion or DefNet.
The training programmes and exercises will encompass a full spectrum of cyber threats ranging from malware-based attacks, denial-of-service incidents, data theft, information manipulation, to cyber influence tactics like disinformation campaigns on social media platforms.
Airbus will also collaborate with startups and SMEs specialising in sectors like AI to stay upto date with emerging threats and technological advancements.
Integrated applications within the training platforms are intended to recreate the operational environment of the armed forces’ network and information systems extensively.
This includes command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (C4ISR) and weapon systems.
Each scenario will feature IT infrastructure simulations, advanced cyberattack scenarios, physical phenomena simulations, and ‘life simulations’ that inject realism into training by including users engaged in legitimate, accidental or malicious activities.
Airbus Defence and Space has deployed its CyberRange platforms across various ministries and sensitive sector companies for training and educations.
These platforms are also used for challenges and events like ‘Passe ton Hack D’abord’, which was orchestrated by COMCYBER alongside the French Ministry of National Education for thousands of students, said the companh.
Beyond training applications, Airbus Defence and Space’s CyberRange platform is also implemented in more than 25 partner educational institutions to support cybersecurity courses and foster expert development.
