Fast-tracked ‘cyber warriors’ to earn almost double wage of British Army privates

The has launched a fast-track recruitment for ‘cyber warriors’ which will see them get one of the highest starting salaries in the .

The new so-called ‘cyber pipeline’ has been created to accelerate training for digital specialists joining the Armed Forces, aiming to improve recruitment and retention.

As part of the programme, the specialist recruits will receive an annual salary of over £40,000 – considerably more than the entry-level wage for those first enlisting (around £25,000) in the , and .

The wage is also higher than that of the lowest commissioned officer ranks; however, pay in the Armed Forces can quickly increase through promotions and time in service.

The new entry route will see basic training reduced from 10 weeks to around one month, after which recruits undergo three months of specialist training.

By the end of this year, they will be embedded into operational roles, either securing defence networks or conducting cyber operations.

The news comes as the Ministry of Defence has had to protect UK networks from an increasing number of what it describes as “sub-threshold attacks”.

The department said there have been more than 90,000 in the last two years, and British military systems are being targeted daily.

Ministers are describing cyber as a “new frontline”, with Defence Secretary John Healey saying the “cyber warriors” will help protect the country from changing threats.

The programme is open to those with or without cyber skills, and roles will first be introduced in the Navy and RAF.

It comes as plans were unveiled for a new military recruitment service that aims to “streamline” the application process, which has faced issues.

In 2023, delays led to fewer than one in 10 applicants joining the forces.

The Government has been accused of “ and there is uncertainty over when it will reach 2.5% of GDP.