UK Faces “New Era” of National Security Threats, MI5 Says

In his annual speech on October 13, MI5 director-general Sir Ken McCallum warned that the United Kingdom is entering a “new era of national security.” He said state-sponsored threats from Russia, Iran and China now match the scale of terrorism, and that artificial intelligence (AI) is “supercharging” cyber-attacks, sabotage and the potential creation of bioweapons. The speech highlighted recent incidents—including a cyber attack on Polish energy infrastructure, an attempted explosive-laden drone strike on a cargo plane in Germany, and a suspected plot against the U.S.-run RAF Fairford airbase—as evidence of the shifting threat landscape.

The Press Democrat

During the post-Cold War period, MI5 focused primarily on terrorist networks. Recent years have seen a resurgence of hostile state activity, described by McCallum as “hybrid warfare.” Iran is employing proxy actors to target Jewish sites and, increasingly, “harder targets” such as military installations. China’s intelligence services have been linked to espionage cases in the UK, prompting MI5 alerts to the academic community.

RAF Fairford: Incident near base ‘not unique’, MI5 boss says

• State-threat caseload: MI5’s workload on state threats has quadrupled over the past decade, and in 2026 the agency is devoting more resources to these threats than during the Cold War.

CNN

• Arrests: Over the past year, more than 50 people have been arrested in connection with Iran-linked plots, including arson and sabotage of Jewish sites. In the RAF Fairford investigation, seven men in their 20s were arrested and released on bail.

CNN

• Incidents cited: cyber intrusion of Polish energy systems; attempted drone attack on a German cargo plane; an alert to academics regarding the China General Technology Research Institute.

CNN

• He announced the creation of a new AI Threat Assessment Center to monitor such risks.

The Independent

• Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was “almost certainly” behind the RAF Fairford plot, while senior Iranian officials denied involvement.

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• The United States responded to the Fairford incident by relocating its long-range bombers from the UK back to American bases, citing an “unspecified new threat.”

CNN

• MI5 also issued a recent alert to the academic sector about potential espionage ties to the China General Technology Research Institute, urging caution in collaborations.

RAF Fairford: Incident near base ‘not unique’, MI5 boss says

• “A second and different risk … is the possibility that AI could generate novel pathogens not previously seen.” — Ken McCallum, MI5 director-general, delivered his annual speech on Tuesday

The Press Democrat

• “We have again entered a new era of national security” — Sir Ken

The Independent

• “There have been other examples not just in the UK but around the world, including more specifically in Iran’s own region.” — Sir Ken

RAF Fairford: Incident near base ‘not unique’, MI5 boss says

MI5 will operate the newly established AI Threat Assessment Center to evaluate emerging AI-driven risks, while investigations into the RAF Fairford plot and other Iran-linked activities continue. The agency has indicated that further details will be withheld for operational security.

The Press Democrat