NATO conducts initial meeting for undersea infrastructure network to boost security against rising threats
Top experts from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) convened last week at the alliance’s headquarters for an inaugural session of its newly established Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network. With rising challenges to undersea infrastructure, the Alliance is putting in place new tools to enhance the security of undersea cables and pipelines and to monitor potential threats.
The meeting was chaired by David van Weel, assistant secretary general for Innovation, Hybrid, and Cyber, and welcomed industry representatives, including energy operators, to participate in discussions and collaboration.
NATO has warned for years about the security of undersea cables and allies increased naval patrols near critical subsea infrastructure following recent incidents in the Baltic Sea.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who opened the conference, said allies must continue to step up. “The increasing dependency of our societies on undersea infrastructure means we need to do more to enhance their security,” said Stoltenberg.
“NATO is well-placed to take on a greater role given our Allies’ unique military capabilities, vast intelligence network, and operational expertise,” he said, underlining that Russia is carrying out an intensifying hybrid campaign against Allies.
At the meeting, participants discussed ways to enhance information-sharing and situational awareness, as well as ways to deter and defend against threats to undersea infrastructure. They talked about using innovative technologies to enhance infrastructure security and resilience, including for the growing number of offshore wind farms that underpin the energy transition.
The Alliance also continues to promote technological innovation – such as sea drones, new sensors, and the use of AI (artificial intelligence) – to better detect suspicious activity.
The one-day meeting follows the decision by NATO Defence Ministers in February to set up the Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network. Allies are also establishing a Maritime Centre for the Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure within NATO’s Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, UK.
Last June, the EU-NATO Task Force identified in a final assessment report that a wide range of infrastructure is required to provide information and communications services, from underground and undersea fiber-optic cables to cellular base stations and satellites. “The reliance on undersea cables and 5G networks poses risks due to limited repair capabilities and increased vulnerability. Moreover, digital infrastructure relies on global supply chains. These are vulnerable to accidental and intentional disruptions, which could impact global networks and introduce security risks,” it added.
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