Royal Navy unveils cutting-edge new force to defend undersea cables from Russia
A new high-tech force targeting Russian submarines that threaten the UK’s vital undersea pipes and cables has been unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey.
The multi-million pound Atlantic Bastion will consist of Royal Navy warships and aircraft partnering with autonomous vehicles and AI technology to defend the vital infrastructure.
It comes as the government says Russian activity off the British coast has increased by 30% over the past two years.
The Ministry of Defence suspects ships such as the Yantar – which has been spotted on the edge of UK waters twice this year – are being used to map pipelines and cables.
Healey told a press conference last month that his message to Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin was: ‘We see you, we know what you’re doing.’
On a visit to Portsmouth Naval Base, the Defence Secretary said British officials also know what Putin is ‘developing’.
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He said: ‘People should be in no doubt of the new threats facing the UK and our allies under the sea, where adversaries are targeting infrastructure that is so critical to our way of life.’
The UK relies on subsea infrastructure for 99% of its international telecommunications data, as well as basic energy supplies like electricity, oil and gas.
According to the recent strategic defence review, the sea is becoming ‘increasingly vulnerable’ with adversaries ‘more willing to threaten the free flow of critical commodities’.
In a speech today, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins is expected to describe Atlantic Bastion as a ‘bold new approach to secure the underwater battle-space against a modernising Russia’.
He will say: ‘A revolutionary underwater network is taking shape – from the mid-Atlantic ridge to the Norwegian Sea. More autonomous, more resilient, more lethal – and British built.
‘We’ve already made rapid and significant progress with delivering Atlantic Bastion. A force that keeps us secure at home and strong abroad.’
The project will involve the development of state-of-the-art tech to track down submarines.
An MoD spokesman said this would mean equipping vessels and aircraft with ‘AI-powered acoustic detection technology’ and integrating them into a ‘digital targeting web’.
Atlantic Bastion is supported with £14 million of early investment from the MoD and industry.
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