UK to face growing range of security threats, defence report says

Report predicts growing threat from 'swarm attacks', genetic weapons and cyber-warfare

Britain could become increasingly vulnerable to attack from an array of novel threats including "swarm attacks", genetic weapons, cyber-attacks and new pathogens as hostile powers and extremist groups obtain more lethal weapons, a study by a Ministry of Defence thinktank warns.

The study, an attempt to spot future military trends called Future Operating Environment 2035, also warns that the UK, "will face a broad range of natural and manmade threats" and it will be "increasingly difficult to distinguish between threats from state and non-state actors". It concludes than even "limited tactical nuclear exchanges in conventional conflicts" cannot be ruled out.