In addition, the previously low repair capacities must be expanded. There are only a few special ships available to repair the cables. If there is large, widespread damage, repairs will be delayed for many months. The repair capacities themselves could also become the target of sabotage and, combined with the disruption of the data connection, significantly extend downtimes.
At the same time, we finally need a comprehensive picture of the situation in order to be able to react more quickly. The data from ships (e.g. radar), from reconnaissance aircraft, drones, from satellite images and from the operators of the submarine cables must come together in a situation report. Technological means such as sensors, surface echo sounders, infrared cameras or laser light sources can be used to create an even better image underwater, which is essential for protection and rapid response to incidents.
The exchange of information between operators and security authorities, including across borders, can still be significantly expanded and raises the fundamental question of appropriate burden sharing between private operators and states.
There also needs to be a skill-specific distribution of responsibilities. Currently, responsibilities for protecting critical infrastructure are not appropriately distributed. The responsible police authorities have limited capabilities, especially underwater. The Navy, on the other hand, is only allowed to take action upon request.
NATO member states reacted more quickly to last week’s incidents in the Baltic Sea region than in years before. However, the precautions to protect submarine cables and the measures to absorb failures are not yet sufficient. Especially since the risk of further incidents increases. It is high time to take more comprehensive action.
The views expressed in guest articles reflect the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily correspond to those of the t-online editorial team.
