The Impact of AI Traffic on Subsea Fiber Networks
, which was then handed off to another telegraph operator to re-transmit over terrestrial copper cables to New York City or London. Fast-forward 150 years to the mid-2010’s, and trans-oceanic cables evolved from copper to fiber. The dominant operators of subsea networks were international communications service providers (CSPs) and bandwidth wholesalers, who led the deployment of new cables, or participated in cable consortium for cost-sharing of these expensive infrastructure projects. While data rates had increased tremendously since 1866, from approximately 8 words per minute to 12Tb/s
Google to Build Subsea Cables for PNG
Papua New Guinea’s Acting Minister for Information and Communications Technology, Hon. Peter Tsiamalili Jr., has officially announced the $120 million Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative that will deliver three new submarine cable systems to Papua New Guinea, strengthening the nation’s digital backbone with high-capacity connectivity to Northern Papua New Guinea, Southern Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.The project is being entirely funded through Australia’s commitments under the Pukpuk Treaty, a mutual defence treaty which recognises that an armed attack on
Kraken Robotics, TKMS ATLAS UK Demonstrate KATFISH USV Launch and Recovery System
was demonstrated off the coast of Portland, UK, November 18-19, for NATO navies. Attendees witnessed the ARCIMS USV autonomously navigate and plan missions with the KATFISH towed system collecting high resolution SAS and bathymetric surveys in very shallow water. Data was live streamed via satellite communications to the command center on shore, enabling real-time classification of contacts by operators.Kraken’s KATFISH being deployed by the USV-LARS system. © Kraken RoboticsKraken’s KATFISH collects high resolution synthetic aperture sonar data at up to a 200-meter range per side at a
Subsea Cable Sabotage: Underwater, Underprotected, and Under Attack!
Around the 6th September 2025, 15 undersea cables in Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea were severed, resulting in increased latency and widespread disruptions in internet provision across the Middle East and South Asia. As this incident illustrated, modern communications are profoundly dependent on vulnerable sub-sea infrastructure. This comes against a backdrop of increased hostile action against subsea cables, with the UK and Japan both recently announcing measures to secure vital cable infrastructure. While the most recent damage appears to have been accidental, it further illustrates the
USV Provides Near Real-Time Deep Ocean Current Observations
was tasked with navigating variable ocean currents and weather conditions in the Gulf to reach the sensor locations and harvest the data. It was then able to send the science-ready data to shore through its dual iridium and Starlink satellite links, which also enabled high-data rate and real-time communications back to shore. In total, three deployments covering more than 30 days, the SP-48, which can sustain 2 to 3kt operations and sprints up to 5kt, covered around 1,500nm. During this time, more than 135 GB of high-resolution ocean currents and related parameter data at up to 800m above the
All-Electric Foiling USV Undergoing Sea Trials
, cruising at 25 knots. Its foiling hull and advanced composites enable fast, agile, hard-to-detect performance with stable operation in variable sea states.SeaGlide is intended for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance as well as payload deployment, tactical logistics and communications relay in littoral and offshore environments, as well as zero-emission last-mile maritime delivery on inter-island and coastal routes.Now in sea trials in UK waters, SeaGlide will be offered in 4-, 5-, and 6-meter variants
Skana Robotics Expands its Autonomous Fleet with "Alligator" Amphibious Vessel
, and Vera, a proprietary execution layer that enables distributed command, autonomous teaming, and real-time adaptation.The Bullshark is a tactical ASV designed for multiple missions, including ISR and interdiction. It features a scalable design, a payload capacity of up to 150 kg, and functions as a communications hub to coordinate multiple surface and sub-surface assets.The Stingray is a loitering AUV designed for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare), and infrastructure protection in complex underwater terrains. It supports autonomous underwater navigation
Kongsberg Discovery Welcomes Joint Declaration of Baltic Sea Security for Critical Infrastructure
in view of geopolitical tensions and threats from RussiaPromote regional cooperation and contribute to stronger European securityCritical maritime infrastructure covers a wide and complex landscape. Below the surface, this includes subsea oil/gas wellheads and risers, gas pipelines, fibre-optic communications cables, high-voltage power lines and renewables installations. Above the surface, it extends to floating production units, platforms, ports and other coastal facilities. Each element serves a vital function in energy security, economic continuity and national resilience, and each requires tailored
NUWC Division Newport Hosts Warfighters Panel, ‘Cup O’ Joe’ to Celebrate Veterans
, and they gave me an opportunity to be around planes,” Barbosa said. “I joined the military to get away from the neighborhood and start a new career. It was a way to experience new things and face new challenges.”In 2009, his unit was deployed to Iraq, where his job involved combat communications.“It was a good experience because prior to that, you’re always training, training, training, and never actually getting to do it when it mattered, or for a real reason,” Barbosa said. “For the military, we always train, and this was a chance to apply that training in a
December 2025
