Britain's Undersea Cables Vulnerable in the Face of Security Threats, Report Warns
By Matthew Davies, The National News
February 19, 2024
The defence of Britain's critical undersea cable infrastructure urgently needs to be reviewed and updated following years of “regular sightings of suspicious Russian activity in nearby waters” and “mysterious cable-cutting incidents“, according to a new report from the Policy Exchange.
The think tank points out that thousands of miles of undersea fibre-optic cables, which are the “unseen arteries of global communication”, are now a “critical asset and a valuable target” as geopolitical tensions rise.
The report advocates for a ‘space-to-seabed’ strategic doctrine which will bring government and relevant private sector stakeholders together to protect Britain's undersea assets.
“Undersea cables are now as important to the international economy as open trade routes,” said Michael Fallon, a former UK defence secretary.
“They underpin our financial systems, data exchanges and energy supplies. Britain’s economy and security are heavily dependent on its subsea connections with North America, Europe and the Middle and Far East.
“These are valuable targets for our global competitors: we have already seen Russian attempts to interfere with Atlantic cables.
“Countries like China are ahead of us in using sensors and unmanned vessels to protect their own networks. By sounding the alarm over our extreme vulnerability, this compelling report demands that the government urgently adopt a robust strategic response across multiple theatres.”
Middle East cable threat
The report points out the risk to undersea cables that exists in other areas of the globe as well, particularly in the Middle East.
“The proximity of the narrow and shallow waters to Iranian shores lays bare the extreme vulnerability of cables passing through this volatile region,” it said.
“The Iran-backed Houthis' assault on global maritime shipping has already demonstrated the ease with which our adversaries can wreak havoc on the water’s surface; there are growing concerns that they might also start doing so below it.”