Undersea water cables

Photo by Kate Tepl on Unsplash

Undersea water cables are cables laid on the ocean floor to transmit data, power, or other signals across bodies of water. They are commonly used for telecommunications and internet connectivity and electricity transmission from offshore wind and tidal energy projects. Undersea cables are also used for scientific research and military purposes. The cable is protected by a thick layer of insulation. It is encased in a protective sheath to protect it from damage from ship anchors, fishing, and natural elements.

Which company installs the undersea water cables

Several companies specialize in the installation of undersea water cables. Some examples include:

• Submarine Cable Systems: This company provides installation, maintenance, and repair services for undersea cables, as well as submarine power cables and umbilicals.
• Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (now Nokia Submarine Networks): This company designs, manufactures, and installs undersea cable systems for telecommunications and internet connectivity.
• TE SubCom: This company designs and manufactures undersea cable systems for telecommunications and internet connectivity, as well as for scientific research and military purposes.
• Prysmian Group: This company manufactures and installs a wide range of undersea and underground cables and systems for telecommunications, power transmission, and other applications.
• Furuno Electric: This company manufactures and installs undersea cable systems for telecommunications and internet connectivity, as well as for scientific research and military purposes.

These are just a few examples. Many other companies also provide this service.

What are the factors that can damage undersea water cables?

Several factors can damage undersea water cables, including:

1. Physical damage: This can be caused by ship anchors, fishing gear, or natural elements such as earthquakes and volcanic activity.
2. Corrosion: Saltwater and other chemicals in the ocean can cause deterioration of the cable’s protective coating, leading to damage and failure over time.
3. Temperature changes: Extreme temperature changes can cause the cable to expand and contract, which can cause mechanical stress and damage to the cable over time.
4. Cable faults: Electrical faults within the cable can cause damage and failure. This can be caused by manufacturing defects, poor installation, or harm during cable laying.
5. Marine life: Marine organisms such as shellfish and sea urchins can damage the cable’s protective coating, leading to corrosion and failure.
6. Human activity: Human activities such as dredging, drilling, and construction of offshore structures can cause damage to undersea cables.
7. Natural disasters: Natural disasters such as typhoons, hurricanes, and tsunamis can cause significant damage to undersea cables.

To prevent these damages, undersea cables are typically buried in the ocean floor, coated with protective materials, and regularly monitored and maintained to ensure their integrity.

What actions can be performed on undersea water cables in the context of hybrid warfare

In the context of hybrid warfare, actions that can be performed on undersea water cables include:

1. Sabotage: Undersea cables can be cut or damaged in a targeted manner by adversaries to disrupt telecommunications and internet connectivity.
2. Surveillance: Adversaries may attempt to tap into undersea cables to gather intelligence or intercept sensitive information.
3. Cyber attacks: Adversaries may use cyber attacks to disrupt or compromise the functionality of undersea cable infrastructure, such as control systems or communication networks.
4. Physical intrusion: Adversaries may attempt to physically access the undersea cable infrastructure, such as by using divers or submersibles, to gather intelligence or cause damage.
5. Propaganda: Adversaries may use disinformation and propaganda to create confusion and mistrust in the security and integrity of undersea cable infrastructure.
6. Economic sanctions: Adversaries may impose economic sanctions on countries that rely heavily on undersea cables for their economic activity to disrupt the activity indirectly.

These actions can potentially cause significant disruption to telecommunications, internet connectivity, and other critical infrastructure. They can have severe economic, security, and political consequences. As a result, it is crucial to have robust security measures in place to protect undersea cables and to have contingency plans in place to respond to any potential threats.

What are the means of resilience in compromised undersea water cables?

Several means of resilience can be employed in the event of compromised undersea water cables:

1. Redundancy: Having multiple undersea cable systems in place can provide redundancy if one cable is compromised. This can be achieved by having numerous cable routes or cables on the same route.
2. Diversion: Diversion routing is a technique where the traffic is automatically re-routed through different cable systems in case of a cable failure. This can be done by using software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV)
3. Cable repair ships: Cable repair ships are equipped to locate and repair damaged undersea cables. These ships can be dispatched quickly to repair a damaged cable and restore connectivity.
4. Emergency stockpiles: Having spare cables and equipment on hand can help rapidly repair or replace a damaged cable.
5. Monitoring systems: Monitoring systems to detect and locate cable damage can help promptly address problems and restore connectivity.
6. Collaboration: Collaborating with other countries or international organizations to share cable infrastructure can provide additional resilience in a cable failure.
7. Cybersecurity: Having robust cybersecurity measures in place can help to protect undersea cable infrastructure from cyber attacks and other forms of disruption.
8. Backup power: Having backup power sources in place can help to keep critical systems running in the event of a power failure.

It’s important to note that resilience should be part of a holistic approach to security, including proactive measures, such as regular maintenance and inspections and incident response plans.