As reports of mysterious cable-cutting incidents and suspicious Russian activity near subsea infrastructure become increasingly common, a new report published by Policy Exchange today urges the UK Government to formulate a clear and comprehensive strategy for defending against growing threats to the undersea cables, which power global digital and energy connectivity.

The report calls for a ‘space-to-seabed’ strategic doctrine which will bring the whole of government, and relevant private sector stakeholders, together to protect our undersea assets. Both China and Russia have devised highly sophisticated strategies and capabilities for undersea warfare, which can only be matched by similarly focused efforts from our own government. Recent posts on social media linked to Iran-backed groups in the Middle East also indicate that they may soon target cables in the region.

Closer to home, the security of transatlantic cables, which run through and around the Western Approaches to the British Isles, is being jeopardised by the Republic of Ireland’s weak maritime policing capabilities. The full weight of responsibility for protecting this undersea infrastructure therefore falls on our RAF and Royal Navy.