NATO Deploys Drone Fleet to Combat Baltic Sea Cable Sabotage

Attacks on Europe’s offshore energy infrastructure are increasing in frequency; The suspected sabotage of the Estlink 2 power cable is the most recent of several such incidents in the region. In November, Germany said damage to two communication cables running under the Baltic Sea was most likely the result of sabotage. Last week, Swedish Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin announced that the Norbalt undersea power cable linking Sweden with Lithuania was likely also purposely damaged by the Yi Peng 3.

In a groundbreaking initiative, NATO is deploying at least 20 un-crewed surface vessels (USVs) as part of its new Baltic Sentry operation to protect critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. This marks NATO's first use of drone boats for maritime surveillance and infrastructure protection. The aim is to intercept and escort away, possibly “board, impound or arrest”, or at least deny adversaries plausible deniability.

French Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, announced that these USVs will be operational within weeks, providing 24/7 surveillance of critical areas. The system will integrate video, radar, and other sensor data into a comprehensive network shared among all stakeholders, enabling faster response to potential threats.

The drone boats will complement existing Baltic Sentry assets, including about a dozen vessels and maritime patrol aircraft. Initially operating under human control, the USVs will gradually transition to greater autonomy in later phases. This initiative runs parallel to Nordic Warden, a UK-led AI-powered monitoring system tracking potential threats to undersea infrastructure.

Other proposed solutions to such hybrid warfare attacks include fitting cables with acoustic sensing that enables them to hear abnormal things far away. Radar, sonar and hydrophones has also been proposed for installation on offshore wind farms and substations to detect hostile drones and other unwanted activity. Wind farm developer OX2 has recently tested the relevant kit at a wind farm near Åland in Finland.

These technologies significantly enhance the “situational awareness” of what’s happening at sea. The next step is to work out which equipment should be installed to enhance the security of wind farms and cables - plus the costs and how to carry them.

In the new age of "hybrid warfare", active collaboration is now required given the nature of the threats - and the huge importance of offshore wind and cables to Europe’s energy security.