Is Russia's shadow fleet secretly destroying underwater cables? | DW News

Key Concepts:

• Shadow Fleet: Aging oil tankers with questionable insurance and registration used to evade international sanctions on Russian oil.
• Hybrid Warfare: A military strategy that blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare, and cyber warfare.
• Asymmetrical Warfare: Warfare between belligerents whose relative military power differs significantly.
• Undersea Infrastructure: Critical pipelines and cables on the ocean floor, including communication cables.
• CMRE (Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation): NATO's center for maritime research and experimentation.
• Deterrence: Discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.

Detecting Undersea Threats

The video focuses on NATO's efforts to protect critical undersea infrastructure, specifically pipelines and cables, from sabotage. NATO is deploying technology to listen underwater for signs of interference, particularly anchor dragging, which has become an effective tactic for targeting this infrastructure.

Anchor Dragging as a Tactic

• Anchor dragging is described as a "low tech," even "embarrassingly low tech," method of asymmetrical warfare capable of causing significant damage.
• The core argument is that this seemingly simple tactic can have major consequences, requiring adaptation and new strategies.

NATO's Response: Underwater Sound Detection

• NATO's Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) is using sound sensors on the NRV Alliance research vessel to detect the sound of anchors dropping on the sea bottom.
• This technology provides a crucial time advantage, allowing command centers to intercept suspicious ships before they cause damage.
• While the specific sound signature of an anchor drop is classified, the technology allows for immediate detection and response.
• The decision to paint "NATO" on the side of the NRV Alliance is an act of deterrence, aimed at reassuring allies and keeping adversaries at bay.

Impact of Damaged Undersea Cables (Elizabeth Braw Interview)

Elizabeth Braw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, discusses the impact of severed undersea cables.

Consequences of Cable Damage

• Traffic Disruption: When a cable is damaged or cut, it can't transport traffic, which must then be rerouted through other cables. In the case of the Matso Islands, two cables were cut by Chinese merchant vessels which meant that there was nothing available to to connect the Matso Islands with the world. They were completely cut off.
• Financial Costs: Repairing undersea cables is expensive, costing up to $2 million per repair, even with insurance agreements.

Global Vulnerability

• The vulnerability of undersea infrastructure is a global issue, affecting Asia and the rest of the world, not just NATO regions.
• There has been a historical "agreement" to leave undersea infrastructure alone, but recent incidents of cable damage raise concerns about future attacks.
• Damage to cables affects not only the country in whose waters the damage occurs but also all countries connected by the cable.

Technology vs. Action

• While new detection technology is valuable, the crucial question is what to do with the information.
• Even with advanced warning, countries face a dilemma: how to respond to potential saboteurs without escalating the situation. Sending out the Navy to chase away a potential saboteur may cause the country behind that potential saboteur to escalate.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video highlights the increasing vulnerability of undersea infrastructure to low-tech sabotage tactics like anchor dragging. NATO is actively developing and deploying technology to detect these threats, providing a crucial time advantage. However, the key challenge lies in determining how to respond effectively to potential acts of sabotage without escalating geopolitical tensions. The interview with Elizabeth Braw emphasizes the global nature of this vulnerability and the need for a coordinated international approach to protect critical undersea infrastructure.