The force has been launched to counter Russian aggression (Image: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE)
A UK led harnessing artificial intelligence has been launched to counter threats to Europe’s underwater infrastructure.
The ten country Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has been activated to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the shadow fleet, .
The operation, named Nordic Warden, was activated last week and harnesses AI to assess data from a range of sources to calculate the risk posed by each vessel entering areas of interest.
Specific vessels identified as being part of ’s shadow fleet have been registered into the system so they can be closely monitored when approaching key areas of interest.
If a potential risk is assessed, the system will monitor the suspicious vessel in real time and immediately send out a warning, which will be shared with JEF participant nations as well as allies.
Don’t miss…
The Prime Minister has vowed to work with partners to protect infrastructure (Image: Getty)
Prime Minister Sir said: “Growth and national security are vital to our Plan for Change, which is why this government is working closely with our allies to protect critical national infrastructure, such as undersea cables.
“I am pleased we are launching this cutting-edge technology so soon after the JEF Summit to enhance European security and deliver on our Plan for Change.”
It comes following reported damage on Christmas Day to the Estlink2 undersea cable in the Baltic, which authorities in Finland suggest may have been caused by a tanker which forms part of ’s shadow fleet of vessels it uses to attempt to bypass international sanctions.
Underwater cables are the conduit to which the vast majority of the UK’s data and internet connectivity pass through, with damage posing genuine national security risks rather than mere inconvenience.
Defence Secretary said: “The UK and JEF are leading the way in providing support to our allies to help safeguard the offshore infrastructure we all rely on against potential threats.
“Nordic Warden will help protect against both deliberate acts of sabotage as well as cases of extreme negligence which we have seen cause damage to underwater cables.
Don’t miss…
The force will use technology to determine threats to underwater infrastrucutre (Image: MOD)
“Harnessing the power of AI, this UK-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.”
The activation comes as NATO is set to throughout January and February as it refines its ability to move troops across the continent to fight on Exercise Steadfast Dart.
Speaking about the exercise, Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said: “This Government wants the UK to be NATO’s leading European nation.
“Exercise Steadfast Dart demonstrates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and highlights the UK key leadership role in the Alliance.
“As we approach the three-year anniversary of ’s illegal full-scale invasion of , we must continue to strengthen our collective defences together to deter Putin effectively.”