U.K.-led Nordic Warden System Activated Following Black Sea Cable Damage

The system uses AI to track maritime threats and monitor Black Sea.
  • Defensemirror.com bureau
  • 04:45 PM, January 8, 2025
  • 1681
U.K.-led Nordic Warden System Activated Following Black Sea Cable Damage
The UK-led Nordic Warden reaction system, part of the Joint Expeditionary Force, has been activated to monitor potential threats. Image: Forsvaret

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has launched a U.K.-led reaction system to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor Russian vessels following damage to the Estlink2 undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.

The Estlink2 undersea cable connects Finland and Estonia. The damage, which occurred on Christmas Day, has raised concerns over the security of critical maritime communication and energy networks.

Activated last week under the name "Nordic Warden," the system uses artificial intelligence to assess data from various sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) used by ships to broadcast their positions. This allows the system to calculate the risk posed by vessels entering key areas of interest. If a potential risk is identified, the system monitors the vessel in real-time and sends an immediate warning to JEF nations and NATO Allies.

Finnish authorities suspect the involvement of a tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet behind the damaging of the cables. The JEF issued a joint statement commending Finland and Estonia for their swift response, noting the incident’s implications for regional security and economic stability.

The Russian shadow fleet, suspected of being involved in bypassing international sanctions, has been incorporated into the system for closer monitoring. The JEF is actively tracking 22 areas of interest, including the English Channel, North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea. These areas are monitored from the JEF’s operational headquarters in Northwood.

The operation strengthens NATO’s existing and planned responses, emphasizing the JEF’s role in complementing NATO's operations.

The U.K. has been at the forefront of efforts to disrupt the Russian shadow fleet. As part of this initiative, 93 oil tankers linked to Russia have been sanctioned. The recent agreement between the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland, and Estonia to request proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels further strengthens monitoring of the Baltic route.

The JEF, consisting of 10 nations—Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK as the framework nation—is designed to respond rapidly to global threats.

Also Read

U.S., U.K., Planning Terrorist Attacks on Russian Bases in Syria, Moscow Claims...

December 28, 2024 @ 09:35 AM

F-35 Conducts First Classified Data-Sharing with U.K. Command System

December 5, 2024 @ 12:06 PM

Hawk T2 Trainer ‘Outdated’, Has Technical Problems: U.K. RAF Chief

November 28, 2024 @ 10:53 AM
FEATURES/INTERVIEWS
© 2025 DefenseMirror.com - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED