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The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Force has officially welcomed its second commander, Air Vice-Marshal Tim Neal-Hopes OBE.
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The UK National Cyber Force (NCF), established in 2020, is a partnership between defence and intelligence which carries out cyber operations daily to protect against threats to the UK, further the UK’s foreign policy, support military operations, and prevent serious crime.
The NCF is committed to demonstrating responsible cyber behaviour, including through strict adherence to robust legal and ethical frameworks and robust oversight and accountability.
This is illustrated in the “National Cyber Force: Responsible Cyber Power in Practice” in a move to greater transparency in this space.
AVM Neal-Hopes OBE comes to the NCF following his most recent position as director Cyber, Intelligence and Information Integration within UK Strategic Command and will be the first member of the Armed Forces to hold the position.
UK Commander Strategic Command, General Sir Jim Hockenhull welcomed the appointment of AVM Neal-Hopes, saying, “I am delighted to congratulate Air Vice-Marshal Tim Neal-Hopes OBE on his appointment to commander of the National Cyber Force. Tim’s experience in cyber and intelligence has repeatedly been proven throughout a distinguished military career, and most recently serving at the heart of Defence Intelligence. I am confident the NCF will benefit greatly from his knowledge, experience, and leadership.”
Director of GCHQ Anne Keast-Butler expanded on these comments, saying, “I am delighted to welcome Air Vice-Marshal Tim Neal-Hopes OBE as the new commander of the NCF. Tim brings a wealth of experience in intelligence, engineering, and cyber – and he has the vision to lead our dynamic partnership, which is countering state threats, supporting military operations, and disrupting terrorist cells and serious criminals.”
As well as delivering cyber operations to keep the country safe, AVM Neal-Hopes OBE will be responsible for overseeing the NCF’s continued growth as part of the UK’s broader national cyber enterprise, including the opening of NCF’s headquarters in Samlesbury in 2025.
Commander of the NCF Air Vice-Marshal Tim Neal-Hopes OBE, said, “The last two decades of my life have been invested in supporting the evolution of the UK’s cyber power, and so I am immensely proud to take on the role of commander. The NCF has a clear vision to be a vital tool of the UK’s statecraft, delivering increasing impact for the nation and exemplifying globally the responsible projection of cyber power.”
Additionally, AVM Neal-Hopes OBE will also continue scaling NCF’s integration with other parts of government, partners, and a growing number of international allies.
The NCF combines GCHQ’s global intelligence capabilities, MOD’s operational planning expertise, science and technology from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, and agents and clandestine operational technology from MI6.
GCHQ is an intelligence and cyber agency with a mission to help keep the UK safe. Its people use cutting-edge technology, technical ingenuity, and-world leading partnerships to identify, analyse, and disrupt threats in an increasingly complex world.
GCHQ works closely with MI5, the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), law enforcement, the military and international partners to counter real-world and online threats from nation states, criminal groups, terrorists, and individuals.
