Cable risk and resilience in the age of uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs)

Abstract

The risks associated with near total global economic reliance on the undersea telecommunication cable network is increasingly acknowledged by scholars and government officials worldwide. Recent disruptive incidents affecting seabed infrastructure—including cables—have served only to highlight the network’s vulnerability. This article examines how fast-paced technological developments in uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs) will affect the security of this critical infrastructure. To that end, this research article asks what advantages this frontier technology offers to those seeking to harm the cable network, and, from the opposite perspective, for those concerned about protecting it. The conclusions offered by this article will arm policymakers and other interested parties with greater knowledge about the emerging impact of UUVs on the security of seabed infrastructure and the undersea telecommunication cable network more specifically.