Battle for Britain's Waters: Russian surveillance sensors detected in UK Waters

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Beneath the Surface: The Silent Battle for Britain's Waters

 

Russian surveillance sensors designed to track the UK’s nuclear submarines have been uncovered in British waters, revealing a hidden front in what military officials describe as an escalating campaign of “greyzone” warfare. These covert devices, discovered by the British military, include several that washed ashore and others found by the Royal Navy. While the exact locations have not been disclosed, the sensors are believed to be the work of Moscow, deployed to monitor the Vanguard-class submarines that carry the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

 

 

The revelation, which has not been made public until now, points to a serious threat to national security. One of the four Vanguard submarines is always at sea under the UK’s continuous at-sea deterrent, a defence strategy that depends on stealth. The aim of these hidden Russian devices, officials believe, is to detect and track these submarines as they vanish from their base at Faslane, Scotland, for months-long patrols in unknown locations.

 

 

A three-month investigation by The Sunday Times has shed light on this underwater espionage through interviews with more than a dozen former defence ministers, senior military officials and experts. It also included rare access to the RFA Proteus, a newly commissioned deep-sea surveillance ship at the heart of Britain's response to these undersea threats. Military commanders have compared the growing technological struggle beneath the waves to the Cold War space race. With Russia decades into its investment in seabed warfare, Britain is now scrambling to catch up.

 

 

On March 21, a speedboat carried journalists and senior naval officers to the RFA Proteus anchored off Scotland’s west coast. Towering above the waters near the Isle of Arran, the ship is a floating fortress outfitted with a helipad, deep-sea cranes, and a moon pool the size of eight snooker tables for launching underwater vehicles. The crew includes members of the navy’s diving and mine-hunting squadrons—experts trained to locate and neutralise threats on the ocean floor. Their mission has become more urgent amid fears that Russia is using its formidable underwater capabilities to map and sabotage Britain’s critical infrastructure.

 

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Russia’s conventional forces diminished, but it never stopped pouring resources into its submarine fleet. Unlike any other country, Russia maintains a fleet dedicated to seabed warfare and espionage. These submarines are not only highly advanced but also capable of deep-sea operations beyond the reach of many NATO vessels.

 

Russia’s undersea strategy intensified even before its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to military sources, the Kremlin’s focus expanded to surveillance and sabotage of underwater internet cables, pipelines, and military lines—critical arteries for the West. The Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion in 2022 was widely believed to be a greyzone attack orchestrated by Moscow. Since then, at least 11 internet cables in the Baltic Sea have suffered damage—some by ships dragging their anchors across the seabed in suspiciously calculated patterns. “You really need to keep the [engine] power on to drag, so it is a deliberate act,” said one defence insider.

 

British military sources also suspect that oligarch-owned superyachts may have been used to support Russia’s underwater reconnaissance. These luxury vessels often feature moon pools—hidden underwater openings—capable of deploying deep-sea equipment covertly.

 

The Russian program is coordinated by the Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research, or Gugi, and features vessels such as the Yantar, a spy ship capable of deploying mini-subs with manipulator arms that can cut or tap cables and lay explosive devices. These minisubs are supported by larger “mother” submarines, allowing them to operate globally with near-total secrecy.

 

“There should be no doubt, there is a war raging in the Atlantic,” said a senior British military official. “This is a game of cat and mouse that has continued since the ending of the Cold War, and is now heating up again. We are seeing phenomenal amounts of Russian activity.”

As British forces work to locate and counter these threats, the question now is not just how to respond—but how to stay ahead in a silent war already underway beneath the waves.

 

Based on a report by The Times  2025-04-07

 

 

[JimHuaHin]

Putin has been "silently" attacking Europe for several years - cyber attacks, destruction of critical infrastructure, etc.  All part of Putin's plan to control all of Europe, mirroring Xi's plans for Asia.

[MalcolmB]

10 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Putin has been "silently" attacking Europe for several years - cyber attacks, destruction of critical infrastructure, etc.  All part of Putin's plan to control all of Europe, mirroring Xi's plans for Asia.

And the USA has 128 military bases spread over 49 countries are planning to take over Greenland, Panama and Canada.

Chinese, Russians and Americans.

And people are scare of Muslims?

[thaibeachlovers]

11 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Putin has been "silently" attacking Europe for several years - cyber attacks, destruction of critical infrastructure, etc.  All part of Putin's plan to control all of Europe, mirroring Xi's plans for Asia.

and the UK, USA etc haven't been doing the exact same thing as Russia is doing? If you believe that I have several bridges for sale.

[JonnyF]

As long as Putin doesn't post something nasty on social media he has very little to worry about. 

[Tug]

1 hour ago, JimHuaHin said:

Putin has been "silently" attacking Europe for several years - cyber attacks, destruction of critical infrastructure, etc.  All part of Putin's plan to control all of Europe, mirroring Xi's plans for Asia.

He also has an asset in the form of one Donald jhon trump 

[Purdey]

There have been reports for many years that the USA has a variety of underwater sensors, primarily used by the Navy for defense and surveillance purposes. These sensors include advanced SONAR systems, which are used for detecting and tracking submarines, underwater communication, and data collection. Companies like General Dynamics and L3Harris provide these sophisticated systems to the U.S. Navy. I don't know which country is the more dangerous.

[rough diamond]

27 minutes ago, Purdey said:

There have been reports for many years that the USA has a variety of underwater sensors, primarily used by the Navy for defense and surveillance purposes. These sensors include advanced SONAR systems, which are used for detecting and tracking submarines, underwater communication, and data collection. Companies like General Dynamics and L3Harris provide these sophisticated systems to the U.S. Navy. I don't know which country is the more dangerous.

I believe you are talking about the SOSUS system.  Google it for more details as I cannot  post links at the present.