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Royal Navy cyber security team recognised as naval party inspired by WW2 codebreaker
14 November 2024
Computing pioneer and Britain’s most famous codebreaker Alan Turing has inspired the creation of a new Royal Navy team responsible for 21st Century cyber security.
The Maritime C5ISR Support Unit (MCSU) delivers and supports intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and information services across the Royal Navy and operates the Navy’s existing Cyber Protection Teams.
Those teams will now be recognised as a Naval Party – highlighting the significant role they play in keeping personnel and equipment safe from external threats.
Held at high readiness, they deploy to provide cyber defence to warships or in reaction to a cyber security incident. Knowledge and expertise of the teams include digital forensics and incident response, cyber threat intelligence, cyber analysis and systems engineering.
Mainly dating back to World War 2, a Naval Party is a special unit for a body of service personnel taking part in approved defence commitments where it is not possible for them to be included on the Unit Establishment List of a ship.
Their use is uncommon in modern times but draws from Royal Navy traditions and heritage.
Cyber Protection Teams have adopted the name Naval Party 1912 – 1912 being the year of Turing’s birth. A pioneer of British computing and a prominent mathematician and computer scientist, he worked in the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park during the World War.
He devised techniques for speeding the breaking of German Enigma ciphers which ultimately enabled the Allies to defeat the Axis powers in the Battle of the Atlantic.
This identity, built on a proud moment in our history, is a visceral reminder of the important work that our digital sailors and marines conduct on a day-to-day basis
With the approval of Navy Command HQ and the Royal Naval Historical Branch, MCSU Defensive Cyber teams will now be known as Naval Party 1912.
Personnel been presented with a newly-created patch to be worn by all MCSU staff when conducting Cyber Protection Teams duties ashore and afloat.
Commander Craig Devlin, Commanding Officer of MCSU, said: “It gives me great pleasure to witness the presentation of NP 1912 insignia to our Cyber Protection Teams.
“This identity, built on a proud moment in our history, is a visceral reminder of the important work that our digital sailors and marines conduct on a day-to-day basis to keep us protected from cyber threats.”
He added: “The benefit in establishing this Naval Party is grounded in recognising that identity and belonging are hugely important. This is particularly true for a fledgling cadre, who exist in a new domain with little in the way of historic lineage.
“By creating a Naval Party we recognise the unique skill set of MCSU’s sailors and marines, and instil a sense of pride and team ethos in the same way that has worked well for embarked Air Squadrons and Battle Staffs.
“Whilst this may be a relatively small symbolic step, it is hoped that this goes some way to further normalising and recognising that data, and by extension cyber, are integral to the Royal Navy’s warfighting capability.”