NATO has established a new facility to secure critical undersea infrastructures such as energy pipelines and internet cables from threats.
The Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure is located on the outskirts of London with a strategic hub at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
The center will support the head of the NATO Allied Maritime Command in decision-making and coordinating efforts between allies, partners and the private sector.
“Like other aspects of maritime security, securing CUI goes beyond posturing to deter future aggression. It includes robust coordination to actively monitor and counter malign or hybrid threats, denying any aggressor the cover of ‘plausible deniability,'” said Royal Navy Vice Adm. Mike Utley, commander of Marcom.
The United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Poland and Turkey are the only contributing nations to the center. Greece, Portugal and Sweden are also expected to join the effort.
NATO has been giving CUI security increased focus in response to Russian aggression. In 2017, a U.K. chief of the defense staff revealed classified Russian threats to undersea data cables, which are critical to everyday life.
