The UK has launched a new spy agency, Military Intelligence Services (MIS), to confront a sharp rise in espionage and sabotage targeting armed forces personnel and Ministry of Defence staff, Times UK reported on Thursday. The initiative comes amid reports of a 50% increase in hostile actions over the past year, with Russia, China, and Iran implicated in a growing number of cyber and physical operations.
Speaking at the top-secret RAF Wyton site in Cambridgeshire, Adrian Bird, the MoD’s chief of defence intelligence, said the incidents ranged from photographing military installations to targeting troops on professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn. “That is a significant change [in tempo],” Bird said, highlighting the increasing sophistication and reach of adversaries.
MIS consolidates all elements of military intelligence under one organisation, designed to streamline the collection, sharing, and analysis of sensitive information. The agency also includes a newly formed counterintelligence unit tasked with protecting the UK’s most critical capabilities, including its nuclear deterrent, advanced industrial projects, and essential infrastructure.
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns and Veterans Minister Louise Sandher-Jones formally inaugurated MIS, with Carns warning that future conflicts could be “bigger and harder” than those in the past. He emphasized that the agency’s role extends beyond traditional military operations to preparing society as a whole for potential existential crises, noting that the government is mapping out public roles and mobilization plans in the event of war.
Historically, intelligence collection was divided among separate military branches, but MIS unifies these functions under a single structure. Sources cited by Times UK said discussions had considered naming the agency MI4, but the proposal was rejected due to historical associations with aerial reconnaissance during World War II and internal concerns over inter-service identity.
During a rare tour of RAF Wyton, personnel demonstrated “Tardis,” a deployable secure office capable of being transported worldwide, allowing small teams to operate and communicate without risk of surveillance. MIS currently comprises around 4,000 troops and civil servants, though it is operating below full capacity, with officials hoping that streamlining processes will allow greater efficiency while attracting new talent.
General Sir Jim Hockenhull, commander of the Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, told Times UK that the creation of MIS and its counterintelligence unit represents “significant steps forward in strengthening the UK’s ability to anticipate threats, enabling faster and more precise action” to protect national security.
