The UK will lead an operation to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian shadow fleet, Defence Secretary John Healey told the Commons.
Vessels entering areas of interest will be assessed by the system and if a potential risk is reported, the system will monitor the vessel in real time and immediately warn Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) members and Nato allies.
The reaction system, named Nordic Warden, comes after a power cable, which transmits energy from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea, was reportedly damaged on Christmas Day.
On Monday, Mr Healey said: “Russian aggression is not simply confined to Ukraine, and we all saw what happened on Christmas Day. We are deeply concerned about the damage and sabotage to undersea cables.
“And I can confirm to the House that for the first time, the Joint Expeditionary Force, the JEF, has activated an advanced UK-led reaction system to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and to monitor the movements of the Russian shadow fleet.
“This will be run out of the standing joint force headquarters at Northwood.”
Labour MP for Huddersfield, Harpreet Uppal, had asked: “Following the reported damage to a major undersea cable in the Baltic over Christmas, which Finnish authorities suggest may be indeed linked to a shadow fleet vessel, what further actions is the UK taking alongside European allies to undermine the Russian shadow fleet?”
Specific vessels identified as being part of Russia’s shadow fleet have been registered into the system so they can be closely monitored when approaching key areas, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
Artificial intelligence will be used to assess data from a range of sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) ships use to broadcast their position.
There are 22 areas of interest, including parts of the English Channel, North Sea, Kattegat and Baltic Sea, being monitored.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer 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.”
Conservative MP Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) asked Mr Healey for his assessment on the threat to British interconnectors following the Christmas Day attack.
Mr Healey said the Finnish investigation into what caused the cable damage is ongoing, telling the Commons: “Many analysts conclude that it is likely that the Eagle S (vessel) was the cause.
“It reinforces the case for operation Nordic Warden that I have confirmed to the House earlier in the session.”
He added: “It will cover a number of areas of interest, including areas where we’ve got British undersea cables.”
Elsewhere during defence questions, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge pressed the Government on its timeline for publishing the Strategic Defence Review (SDR).
He argued that the Government had “pushed back” the review, adding: “At the previous defence orals on November 18 last year, asked specifically on SDR timing, the Secretary of State said, I quote, the reviewers will report in the spring.
“But in written answer to me on December 17, just before the House rose, he said the reviewers will make their final report to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Defence Secretary in the first half of 2025, and the Secretary of State for Defence will subsequently report the SDR to Parliament.
“Now, if the first part is in the first six months of the year, and the second is subsequent to that, even I can suggest that means it is in the second half of the year. That’s not the spring, is it?”
Mr Healey replied: “We’re dancing on the head of a pin here. The spring is in the first half of the year.
“I think (Mr Cartlidge) should take my words to this House, to him, which has been consistent, that the Strategic Defence Review will report in the spring, it will report directly to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and to me, and I will update the House directly.”
