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UK Faces Rising Undersea Threat, MPs Warned in Stark Evidence Session

The UK Defence Select Committee highlighted a growing under‑sea threat, chiefly from Russia’s deep‑sea capabilities and expanding Chinese activity. Around 120 international cables and extensive subsea infrastructure make the seabed a critical vulnerability for communications, energy and finance. Witnesses warned that the Atlantic Bastion concept, reliant on uncrewed systems, remains largely theoretical due to power and communications limits, while the US Orca XLUUV programme illustrates the risks of over‑ambitious autonomous platforms. The committee stressed the UK’s sonar expertise and acoustic libraries as key assets but called for greater investment and public awareness.