Under the Surface – Part 2 | Shielding the Baltic Sea

Under the Surface – Part 2 | Shielding the Baltic Sea

Under the surface it’s incredibly complex
to carry out your tasks.
We will see a much more intense focus
on the undersea domain-
-with critical infrastructure,
with submarine operations-
-with drones, or uncrewed naval and
maritime vehicles of all sorts-
-and we will need to find ways to counter
that as well as to use it to our advantage.
Though its waters
may be brackish and shallow-
-the Baltic Sea remains one of the
most important oceans in the world-
-from a geopolitical point of view.
Especially now when global tensions
are once again on the rise.
Vital infrastructure such as Nord Stream 2-
-adds yet another dimension
to its significance.
Needless to say,
protecting the Baltic Sea in general-
-and specifically its underwater domain,
is regarded as a crucial factor-
-in keeping the peace in the region.
But doing so
has never been more complicated.
Is it even possible? Let’s find out.
This is "Shielding the Baltic Sea –
Under The Surface" – Part 2.
In the previous episode we dove into
a hidden world riddled with challenges-
-such as treacherous terrain, low
temperatures, and severely limited visibility-
-paired with the Baltic Sea’s uneven
seabed topography and narrow straits-
-it makes for a truly hostile environment.
To make matters worse,
many of these characteristics-
-also work in the favor
of a potential aggressor.
This makes defending
this sub-surface domain a daunting task.
Advanced technologies
and decades of experience-
-have allowed us to adapt accordingly-
-and today we will look at the extraordinary
efforts that help keep the area safe.
The Baltic Sea is in many ways
a very unique and special sea.
It is very shallow,
with a depth of about 55 meters.
The bottom topography is very varied.
Over the year,
the salinity and temperature also vary.
All these factors affect
how sound propagates-
-and sound propagation is crucial for us
when searching for submarines and mines.
This, of course, affects the material and
equipment we need to carry out our task.
We cannot see below the surface, which
means we need systems and sensors-
-submarines
as well as human intelligence-
-to get a full maritime domain
awareness of what is happening-
-on the seafloor
as well as below the surface.
And to use that intelligence
and to use that information-
-to inform policy makers and
military decision makers is very important-
-because it has become a war-fighting
and domain in our conflicts of our time.
Historically, underwater defense
was all about submarines.
Submarines fighting,
attacking enemy merchant-shipping.
But also, navies attacking
these enemy submarines.
This is WW1, WW2.
Nowadays, since the cold war, but
particularly since the end of the cold war-
-we see much more traffic under the sea.
We see drones, we have a lot of
maritime infrastructure down there-
-we have sensors and systems.
So defense has become
much more complicated.
The conventional way
of monitoring underneath the sea-
-is using sonars
connected to a ship or helicopter.
By emitting a sound signal –
usually a ping – into the water-
-you can then listen
to the echo when it bounces back.
By measuring the time it takes for the sound
to travel to an object and back-
-sonar can determine
the distance to that object.
Today, more advanced sonars, including
side-scan and multi-beam sonars-
-can provide a high-resolution image
of the seafloor.
To be able to defend in an archipelago
environment or in the Baltic Sea-
-you need to have a complete picture.
It’s important to keep a holistic perspective.
You need to be able to have operational
capabilities in all domains-
-and distribute data very efficiently.
We will see a much more intense focus
on the undersea domain-
-with critical infrastructure,
with submarine operations-
-with drones, or uncrewed naval
and maritime vehicles of all sorts-
-and we will need to find ways to counter
that as well as to use it to our advantage.
In conflicts, both current ones
as well as future ones-
-and we need to make policy makers
aware that the undersea domain-
-is at least as important
as the air-domain-
-and at least as important
as the land-domain.
Because it is such a crucial way,
more than 95% of our internet traffic-
-goes by sea cables,
our energy infrastructure is there-
-and all these things matter to everyone,
not just people living by the coast.
Using underwater autonomous
and remotely operated vehicles-
-enhances our capacity to continuously
monitor the sub-surface domain.
It helps us to fortify
maritime security protocols-
-by offering both great awareness
and early threat identification.
While active sonars and engagement
systems play a vital role-
-the foundation of most underwater
surveillance lies in passive techniques-
-such as underwater microphones
and sensors designed to detect anomalies.
These can be mounted on ships
or placed on the ocean floors, for instance.
These passive sensors collect valuable data
that is later processed.
With the added advantages of intelligent
optimization and automation-
-we can also streamline the responsibilities
of operators and decision-makers.
When we develop systems, we always
ensure that there is a buffer for upgrade-
-as an opportunity,
so that you can obtain relevant capabilities.
Since the threat from the
environment is constantly changing-
-we keep that in mind when we develop
our systems and simply prepare for it.
We never know what threat we’re facing-
-but we know that we’ll need systems
that can upgrade over time.
Locating a hostile force
or adversary beneath the sea-
-can indeed be a challenging task.
This realm often remains shrouded
in the fog of war-
-underscoring the need for advanced capa-
bilities and experts in underwater warfare.
Anti-submarine helicopters, aircraft,
and surveillance ships-
-are invaluable assets
in the pursuit of underwater threats.
Equipped with specialized weapons
and technology, they play a pivotal role-
-in countering submarine dangers
and surveilling the underwater domain.
When continuously monitoring
against underwater threats-
-from drones or smaller
submersible vehicles-
-an additional range of measures
and equipment becomes necessary.
This new frontier prompts many navies
and states to rethink their doctrines-
-to counter these evolving threats.
Adaptation, and continuous upgrades
to the software and hardware-
-are needed to effectively ensure
defense capabilities-
-in an ever-changing
technological landscape.
As we resurface from the challenging
depths of the Baltic Sea-
-a deeper understanding of
its unique challenges has been gained-
-alongside an appreciation
for those who dedicate their lives-
-to ensuring its safety and security.
Safeguarding our critical underwater
infrastructure demands both skill-
-endurance and technological prowess-
-as well as the ability
to outmaneuver potential adversaries.
Allocating resources
to underwater protection-
-perhaps lacks the immediate allure of
investing the same amount in a new ship-
-that’s clearly visible from the coast.
A crucial lesson learned is that the
underwater domain cannot be ignored-
-and both our existing
and new equipment must be tailored-
-to meet tomorrow’s challenges
in this realm.
It’s essential to keep in mind
that all domains are interconnected.
In the next episode,
we turn our attention to the surface-
-where threats seem more visible,
but is it that easy?
This domain is as complex as the one under
the surface, with its own unique challenges.
Let’s explore the threats, surveillance-
-and deterrence challenges
of the open seas in the next episode.

The infrastructure on the floor of the Baltic Sea has never played a more important role in our lives. At the same time, the risk it faces is growing rapidly thanks to geopolitical instability.

Patrik Fältström is Head of Security at Netnod, an independent internet infrastructure organisation. In these episodes of Shielding the Baltic Sea he explains, “Over the last 10 years, the threat situation has changed and the last two years in particular it’s become a lot more dangerous.”

Patrik Gardesten Deputy Chief of the Swedish Navy, says the Baltic’s variable salinity, temperatures and bottom topography means advanced sonar equipment is needed to identify threats. “All these factors affect how sounds spreads out and the spread of sound is important for us when we search for submarines and search for mines,” he says. “This of course affects the materials and equipment we need to carry out our mission.”
Angelica Persson, Business Development Analyst at Saab, explains the undersea environment is complex and advanced systems are needed to manage threats. “You need systems that deliver the right information at the right time to a potential decision maker,” she says.

We would like to thank the Swedish Armed Forces, the Finnish Defence Forces and the Swedish Coast Guard for footage and support.