Vital national infrastructure in the North Sea and North Atlantic could be at risk from Russian aggression, the new armed forces minister claims.
The Scottish coastline has become a new from on the West's conflict with Russia according to Luke Pollard MP.
He has warned that Vladimir Putin is likely operating fleets of unmanned submarines designed to sabotage subsea internet cables which could cripple the UK.
Military intelligence experts have said communications lines severed off the coast of Shetland two years ago was almost certainly the work of Russia, which has also been accused of operating “spy ships” in the North Sea.
In an interview with the Sunday Mail, Labour MP Pollard revealed the MoD is now urgently investing in defences around internet cables and windfarms in the wake of the Ukraine war and heightened tensions.
He said: “It is certainly true that there are threats to our subsea cable networks including in the North Atlantic. If you are in a conflict with an aggressor who can attack those cables, you could sustain quite significant economic damage.
“That’s the changing face of warfare that we need to think about – underwater warfare with autonomous systems in particular.
“We are not just talking about submarines with crews battling in the North Atlantic in a World War II context. You are talking about uncrewed underwater systems that can potentially put our vital national infrastructure at risk.
“This is not an abstract threat, we are very dependent on this infrastructure for our daily lives – the NHS is dependent on it, the financial markets are dependent on data flowing, the list goes on.”
A defence review is due to report back in the first half of next year before the Treasury can commit funds to specifics the following October.
The war in Ukraine has already led to defence equipment being sent from the UK, including two mine hunter vessels based in Scotland.
The future is more likely to involve remotely operated mine hunters, drones and other automated systems, particularly underwater.
Asked how worried people should be about future conflict, Mr Pollard said the war in Ukraine is a “wake-up call” to every country.
He added: “There are rising tensions in the Middle East and we know there are further risks in the Indo-Pacific. There are genuine risks that affect our way of life.”