The UK government has struck a new agreement with Kyiv to use Ukrainian battlefield data to train AI systems designed to protect sensitive sites and critical national infrastructure.
The technology will initially be piloted at a UK defence site, using AI-enabled fibre-optic sensors to detect and identify different types of movement, including potential security threats from hostile states or protesters.
If successful, the systems could eventually be deployed to protect airports, prisons, railways, energy infrastructure and military bases. The AI will be trained using operational data gathered during the war in Ukraine, including drone datasets, strike footage and flight profiles.
Palestine Action said at the time that it had targeted RAF Voyager aircraft used for transport and refuelling, and that “activists have interrupted Britain’s direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East”.
Three British AI companies, Sintela, Mind Foundry and Skyral, have already been approved for pilot projects. Private companies will be able to access approved data through a secure Ministry of Defence platform to develop new security technologies.
The long-term aim is to enable AI systems to identify potential threats or unusual activity around sensitive infrastructure more quickly, helping authorities respond before sites come under attack or disruption.
The prime minister, Andy Burnham, said it would be an opportunity for British companies to combine their AI expertise with Ukraine’s battlefield data, which would “accelerate the development of capabilities that not only strengthen our national security but better protect our critical infrastructure and growth in every postcode here at home”.
Simon Edwards, CEO of SE Labs, said:“As the UK looks to strengthen its defences against physical threats to critical national infrastructure, it is just as important not to overlook the national cybersecurity threats.”
“The same infrastructure can be targeted in multiple ways, and cyber attacks remain a significant risk for military camps and critical infrastructure. Understanding how threat actors operate, the techniques they use and where weaknesses exist is vital to testing and protecting critical infrastructure against the full range of threats it faces.”
