The Joint Cyberspace Command identifies digital sovereignty and partnership with industry as key to Spain’s cyber defence

• Vice-Admiral Roca took part in the round-table discussion ‘Cybersecurity, cyber defence and the challenge of space’ as part of the Global Technology Forum

The commander of the Joint Cyberspace Command (MCCE), Vice-Admiral Javier Roca, took part in the round-table discussion ‘Cybersecurity, cyberdefence and the challenge of space’, as part of the Global Technology Forum organised by the Spanish Association of Consultancy Firms (AEC). This event, held in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, brought together representatives from public administrations, business leaders and experts to analyse the interplay between geopolitics, strategic autonomy and technological capabilities.

During the session, moderated by Yolanda Gómez, deputy editor of the economics section at the ABC newspaper, Vice-Admiral Roca emphasised that a cyberattack transcends the organisational sphere and becomes a matter of national defence when it compromises sovereignty, the operational capability of the Armed Forces or the continuity of the State’s critical infrastructure. In light of this scenario, he emphasised that preparedness requires the prior establishment of response protocols, channels for intelligence-sharing and frameworks for joint training between the authorities, the Armed Forces and the private sector.

Furthermore, the commander of the MCCE has identified the development of Spain’s own technological capabilities as a strategic priority, in order to guarantee the country’s autonomy in cyberspace, whilst at the same time strengthening operational resilience and protection against increasingly automated digital threats. In this regard, he emphasised that achieving greater digital sovereignty does not mean isolating oneself, but rather strengthening Spain’s contribution to NATO and European Union alliances through close collaboration with national companies and research centres.