Beneath the Surface: Strategic Threats to Undersea Cables and the Implications for the Royal Navy

By Lt A P S Pullicino RN

Message from the Editor

The author assesses the growing threats to the UK’s subsea infrastructure as a component of hybrid warfare, and makes direct recommendations for reducing grey-zone ambiguity and improving the RN’s capacity to respond. A 15 minute read.

Submarine cables carry most of the world’s data and underpin national security. Because they lie largely unseen, they have been comparatively overlooked. As geopolitical competition extends to the seabed, their disruption offers adversaries a means of exerting strategic pressure without triggering open conflict. This article explores the scale of that risk, the gaps in the UK’s preparedness, and the evolving role of the Royal Navy in protecting this vital infrastructure. The Strategic Importance of Submarine Cables Much of the infrastructure that sustains the modern global economy lies hidden…

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