Britain needs to prepare for undersea battle - and fast

The UK is buying nuclear fighter jets, but there is a far more pressing threat that could bring blackouts and civil unrest

- FRANCIS TUSA

Imagine the scenario. You wake up and there is no power in your home. You can’t turn on the lights or television, the freezer is defrosting, and there is no way to cook anything. The wifi is down, phone networks have ceased to operate, and cash machines don’t function.

The shops are shut, there is no power for the railways and airports, and hospitals are running on backup generators – but for how long, nobody knows.

The threat of this happening is no longer imaginary; it is being discussed at the highest levels. At recent conferences (all under the Chatham House Rule), speakers have noted that the loss of data transmission could cause food shortages and the economy to crash – leading to supply chains across much of widespread civil unrest. An attack on critical infrastructure is longer a hypothetical threat. It has been firmly stated: this is no longer a question of if, but when.

As it is announced that the UK is set to buy a fleet of new fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, many are arguing that we need to pay just as much attention to what’s happening under our seas as we do in our skies.

At its peak, the UK imports up to 15-20 per cent of its electricity from Europe – all carried by undersea cables. There are four main European gas pipelines, and 75 per cent of UK gas arrives via undersea routes. More than 60 undersea cables carry internet traffic, telephony, and other data – more than 95 per cent of data/internet flows travel beneath the sea’s surface.

Damage to or destruction of any of these pipelines or cables could have a serious impact on the UK. Protecting them must become a national priority, because this is where a direct attack on our nation is most likely to happen.