An ongoing game of hide-and-seek has been silently playing out for nearly a year in various regions of the North Atlantic, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea involving NATO allies and a Russian surveillance vessel. This situation has raised growing concerns among European political and military leaders.
Simultaneously, incidents of damage to underwater cables have occurred over the past two years, primarily in the Baltic region, with a recent occurrence in July near Orkney and Banff in the U.K. Whether these incidents are intentional attacks or accidental occurrences is currently under investigation.
There is a consensus emerging that more measures need to be taken to safeguard the undersea infrastructure, which is vital to the global economy.
In response to these challenges, Germany’s armament secretary and navy chief visited Ottawa last week to confer with Canadian naval and defense officials about the deployment of maritime drones, both surface and subsurface. Jens Plötner, the armament secretary, highlighted the potential for cooperation in this domain.
The utilization of remotely operated underwater vehicles is considered essential in protecting the underwater infrastructure, although the methods and responsibilities for this task remain subjects of ongoing debate.
The Russian research vessel Yantar, suspected by Western intelligence of surveying undersea cables and infrastructure, has been repeatedly observed near these sensitive areas, prompting attention from authorities in Finland and Sweden.
Sweden’s state secretary of defense, Peter Sandwell, emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of critical underwater infrastructure following incidents in the Baltic Sea. NATO responded to the escalating incidents by launching the Baltic Sentry mission last January to bolster its presence and monitor threats to the underwater infrastructure. This mission was recently reinforced by the presence of the U.S. warship USS Bulkeley.
The war in Ukraine has spurred advancements in drone technology, as noted by the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius. He stressed the need for the West to catch up with developments in remote technology seen in Ukraine and Russia.
The Royal Canadian Navy is in the process of acquiring autonomous subsurface drones designed to detect and neutralize underwater mines. Several Canadian companies are at the forefront of marine drone technology, with Seamor Marine Ltd. producing drones for various underwater applications.
Germany, while not currently manufacturing its own drones, aims to enter this field. The intersection of defense and private sectors concerning the protection of undersea cables and critical infrastructure is a significant concern for officials like Plötner, who advocates for closer cooperation between civilian and military entities.
A recent report from the U.K. Parliament’s joint committee on national security strategy highlighted skepticism within the cable industry about coordinated attacks. It emphasized the need for preparedness against low-probability, high-risk scenarios, urging a proactive approach to national security risks.
