ISR sensors to increase the security of underwater communication cables: Case study for deep-water areas

Different activities threaten underwater communication cables in both deep and shallow/coastal waters. The study presented in this paper focuses on deep-water areas. The study reports on Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors and autonomous platforms that could be used to detect the identified threats. The study is supported through examples of different commercial sensors in order to illustrate the creation of an ISR capability to protect and secure such cables. Attention is paid to acoustic, magnetic, optical and oceanographic ISR sensing capabilities. A deep-water case study is presented through a scenario with a specific cable. It shows the complexity of surveying and protecting long underwater communication cables (length > 10,000 km). The complexity of developing an ISR capability to survey and protect such cables is not only due to its length, but also to the many different kind of threats. Recommendations on how to create an ISR capability to protect and secure underwater communication cables are provided. The Critical Infrastructure aspect of these cables is considered in our recommendations.