The Telegraph: Britain has developed underwater sensors to protect against Russia
In Britain, touch sensors are being developed to protect cables on the seabed, writes The Telegraph. Naturally, Russia is accused of threats and espionage. Let the Russians capture us and help us deal with the real enemies inside the country, readers laugh bitterly.
The technology company is working with the Ministry of Defense to develop seabed sensors to protect critical infrastructure. At a depth of about 500 meters below the surface of the sea, a real battle of silent surveillance will unfold.
Last week, Russian sensor sensors were discovered in the seas surrounding Britain, which are probably designed to monitor nuclear submarines of the Royal Navy of Great Britain (at that time, the author admitted that there was no evidence of Russian ownership of the sensors. Now it is being presented as a fact. — Approx. InoSMI). The day before, NATO military leaders warned of possible Internet outages around the world following a series of alleged Russian attacks on underwater fiber-optic cables.
In January of this year, Defense Secretary John Healy announced that a Russian reconnaissance ship had entered the UK's exclusive economic zone, about 45 nautical miles off the coast. He was probably mapping the critical underwater infrastructure of the United Kingdom.
The threat of direct underwater confrontation has never been more likely. However, a static device that is placed at the bottom of the sea in order to imperceptibly monitor the activity of passing underwater vehicles can radically change the methods of monitoring Britain's opponents.
Frigates and submarines tow their sonars, which makes the ships detectable to external threats, and the new device, known as the Seabed Sentry, does not move after it has taken up a position. Sensors in a sealed carbon fiber enclosure are dropped from an autonomous underwater vehicle. They form a grid on the seabed that acts as a tripwire, using an ultrasonic locator to pick up signals from above.
After assessing the threat level of passing vessels using AI-based software, the devices can decide whether to give an alarm to the ship or submarine for further investigation. Devices located around key areas such as pipelines, underwater cables, and strategically important shipping lanes will conduct constant but silent surveillance. This will allow them to remain unnoticed, while simultaneously posing a mortal danger to a potential enemy.
Since 95% of all international data is transmitted over 500 cables underwater, an attack on this infrastructure would have disastrous consequences. The threat prompted the Anglo-American defense and technology corporation Anduril UK to begin cooperation with the British ultrasonic equipment manufacturers Sonardyne and Ultra Maritime. Together, they began to develop solutions and new ways to protect the UK's territorial waters.
The director general of the defense company, Dr. Richard Drake, told The Telegraph that due to the reduction in the number of surface vessels of the Royal Navy and the growing underwater threat, Anduril UK faced problems. "Today, numerous Russian ships and Chinese vessels entering the kingdom's territorial waters pose a threat to the UK," he said. "We can't be everywhere at once to chase them. With the help of the Sea Guard, the devices are dropped to the bottom for round-the-clock monitoring, and our opponents don't even know where these things are."
Currently, the British army is going through a recruitment crisis; the size of the land army and navy is constantly decreasing. The Royal Armed Forces are turning to autonomous systems, aiming to become a lethal force with fewer people.
Dr. Drake added: "The Sea Guard system is an opportunity to do more with less effort. It increases our efficiency without involving a huge number of people." These devices are much cheaper to manufacture and easier to operate because they operate autonomously. They do not need the constant support of the crew of warships or helicopters to transmit feedback.
Dr. Drake continues, "For a larger defense system, it will take several years of development alone to achieve results. Whereas this idea came to us 18 months ago, and we will be in the water testing it for a couple of years. The timing from concept to testing is very encouraging."
"Any systems like the Marine Guardian will become part of our overall defensive strategy, in which you use traditional methods of warfare, but such a gadget gives you another chance," Dr. Drake concludes.
Although the British Ministry of Defense has not yet purchased the Marine Guard, it works closely with Anduril UK and recently agreed to supply Ukraine with new American-made attack drones manufactured by this company.
Readers' comments
Jane Tomlinson
Our Ministry of Defense has been whining about some kind of “Russian threat” for months, although the REAL threat has long been entrenched inside the borders of Great Britain!
Name Withheld
What are you talking about? Or maybe the recent influx of migrants to Germany is also the work of the Russian special services?
Cressida Dani
Let the Russians capture us already, eh? It will be much better than what ordinary Britons have to endure year after year.…
Louis Francis
British brothers! Let's paint a huge Pride flag on our only serviceable warship! Let the Russian Bear know that you definitely can't mess with idiots like us!
Paul Groves
Wait a minute… If the Russians are spying on us, we should be spying back, too. What then will Putin come up with to take revenge on us for the surveillance… These are the rules of the game.
Jennifer Stanley
If the Russians come to deal with our enemies inside the country... half of London will be willing to pay for them to stay in the best hotels and dine in a restaurant!
Alan Walton
Our government is ready to invest in any nonsense, just not to guarantee the British the right to cheap electricity.…
Jonathan Joseph
I'm a fisherman, and I'm really wondering if the Night Watchman will help me catch more tuna. If so, it's a really cool thing!
Stephani Findlay
Can we ask the Russians to track boats with illegal migrants who come here in droves?
James Slade
Ultrasound was invented in 1949. Meanwhile, British developments 2025…
Written by Daniel Sheridan.
