The 10-nation Joint Expeditionary Force has formed Nordic Warden, a reaction system that would alert JEF partners and NATO of potential threats to undersea cables and other infrastructure.
Nordic Warden will use artificial intelligence to identify threats from various data sources, including the Automatic Identification System. It is also equipped with algorithms capable of detecting Russia’s shadow fleet.
After the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO and many European nations have been on alert over threats to national and regional security, including critical infrastructure. The alliance disclosed in early December an early phase of developing a fleet of unmanned surface vessels to improve the security of undersea cables.
Growing Russian Threat
“Russian aggression is not simply confined to Ukraine, and we all saw what happened on Christmas Day. We are deeply concerned about the damage and sabotage to undersea cables,” Defence Secretary Jon Healey told members of the House of Commons on Monday.
In the Dec. 25 event, a power cable linking Estonia and Finland was damaged by a vessel suspected to be part of the Russian shadow fleet. Grid operators do not expect the damaged cable to be restored until August.
Healey highlighted how Nordic Warden would help prevent undersea disasters.
“Harnessing the power of AI, this U.K.-led system is a major innovation which allows us the unprecedented ability to monitor large areas of the sea with a comparatively small number of resources, helping us stay secure at home and strong abroad,” he said.