The federal government has confirmed that it’s growing a brand new seabed warfare technique to guard essential undersea cables and infrastructure amid rising considerations about international interference and sabotage.
Responding to a query within the Home of Lords from Viscount Stansgate on 27 October, Defence Minister Lord Coaker mentioned the Ministry of Defence “retains the risk to undersea cables linked to the UK beneath shut assessment” and that “the MoD always screens exercise inside UK waters.”
He famous that Royal Navy belongings, maritime patrol plane, and the multi-role ocean surveillance programme all play roles in deterring and responding to potential threats.
Lord Coaker mentioned that following the Strategic Defence Evaluate, “the Royal Navy will play a brand new main and co-ordinating position, alongside the non-public sector, in securing undersea pipelines, cables and maritime site visitors.”
Viscount Stansgate, who beforehand served on the Joint Committee on the Nationwide Safety Technique, highlighted the rising dangers to subsea knowledge networks, noting that the Committee’s report discovered “safety vulnerabilities abound” and beneficial the creation of a UK-flagged sovereign restore ship for escort by the Royal Navy.
In response, Lord Coaker confirmed that the federal government is appearing on these suggestions, stating, “We definitely ought to develop one, and we’re growing one.”
He outlined present measures, together with using “surveillance plane from Lossiemouth, the ship ‘Proteus’ the way it protects underwater belongings, and the Royal Navy ship ‘Stirling Citadel’ the way it may function drones from its deck to safe underwater pipelines, knowledge cables and so forth.”