In response to a parliamentary question from Earl Attlee regarding the UK’s readiness to address potential attacks on undersea telecommunications cables, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has highlighted its commitment to safeguarding critical national infrastructure.
Lord Coaker, Minister of State for Defence, stated:
“The UK Government constantly monitors and regularly assesses the security of critical national infrastructure, including energy and telecommunications assets in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone. This is a whole-of-Government effort involving multiple Departments, including the Ministry of Defence.”
The question followed a recent parliamentary discussion on the security of undersea cables, which form a crucial component of global telecommunications and data exchange. Lord Coaker declined to comment on specific response options but issued a clear warning to adversaries:
“Our adversaries should be in no doubt of our ability to protect the UK and its interests, and that any deliberate attack on UK infrastructure would be met with an appropriate response.”
While details of the UK’s retaliation doctrine remain classified, the statement signals a firm stance on defending national interests and deterring potential aggressors.
With what and how.
I gave great faith in our military boys’n’girls but they can’t be at sea in ships that are in dry dock or decommissioned.
Thankfully we did order P8 so we do have something that works with a few remaining T23’s and the GP’s with the hull sonar are great as deterrent as they can just bong away to paint that targets in our areas of interest. No sub wants active sonar close to hand.
Indeed it’s really why every escort should have a hull sonar, they don’t need to be an effective sub hunter to be part of a screen, just an effective sub scarer.
I seem to remember we have a helicopter that’s pretty handy at ASW as well. That being said if the Russians are trying to cut our cables they are not using the Belgorod of the coats of Ireland or the North Sea they using fishing boats and spy ships.
If the Belgorod comes anywhere near the North Atlantic she will be tracked and tailed by an SSN
BUT… the second “Proteus” is 7/8 years away, if not the victim of the SDCR.
Do we need two?
Any commercial dive vessel can do this job.
The 2nd will be a Scott replacement for Ocean Survey and surveillance. It’s an important capability