UK Explores Stronger Underwater Protection for Naval Bases
Britain is reviewing options to strengthen underwater protection for naval bases and ports as part of a broader effort to shield critical maritime infrastructure. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) disclosed the initiative in written answers to the UK Parliament, underscoring growing attention to undersea threats.
In response to questions from a member of Parliament, Defence Minister Luke Pollard confirmed that the MOD currently has no active contracts with Sonardyne or its subsidiary ECS Special Projects despite previous work with the company on underwater sensing and robotics.
Pollard said earlier contracts, including a small procurement of a diver tracking and detection system, have concluded, but Sonardyne’s Sentinel diver detection sonar “is widely recognised and utilised” for safeguarding naval infrastructure.
The MOD indicated future strategy could include expanded protection of ports and submarine bases and improved defenses against hostile divers, swimmers, and underwater saboteurs. Ministers noted interest in greater use of automation and data processing, including AI-enabled anomaly detection on sonar feeds, to enhance maritime defense capabilities.
Context: Rising Focus on Undersea Security
The UK’s review of undersea protection comes amid wider efforts to bolster defense against maritime threats, particularly in the North Atlantic region. As part of the Strategic Defence Review, the Royal Navy and MOD have outlined plans under initiatives such as Atlantic Bastion to integrate autonomous vehicles, sensors, and artificial intelligence into layered undersea surveillance and defense networks against submarines and other adversary activity.
The Atlantic Bastion programme aims to connect traditional surface and airborne sensors with unmanned systems to create a persistent undersea detection web, helping to track foreign submarine movements and protect critical underwater infrastructure like cables and pipelines.
Recent moves to enhance undersea defenses also include investment in sonobuoys to strengthen anti-submarine warfare capabilities. A contract with Ultra Maritime will provide new sonobuoys for the UK’s Merlin maritime patrol helicopter fleet, reinforcing surveillance and deterrence efforts against hostile submarines.
Autonomous mine hunting systems accepted into service by the Royal Navy add another layer of undersea security by enabling remote detection and neutralization of modern sea mines.
Threat Environment
While the MOD did not tie its review of underwater base protection explicitly to specific threats in its parliamentary response, recent defense reporting points to concerns over increased undersea activity by foreign vessels, including Russian intelligence assets and submarine operations in the North Atlantic. This resurgence is a driver for broader undersea defense planning under the Atlantic Bastion framework.
What Comes Next
The parliamentary answers signal early exploration rather than concrete policy or procurement commitments. At this stage the MOD’s focus remains on assessing technologies and how they could fit into a comprehensive maritime protection system that strengthens the United Kingdom’s ability to detect and respond to undersea threats around naval bases and key ports.
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