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How will NATO’s Baltic Sentry work to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea?

3rd March 2025 - 11:35 GMT | by Tony Fyler

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The Baltic Sea is a large area, packed with undersea cables. (Photo: US Navy/Petty Officer 2nd Class Elexia Morelos)

The rise in incidents of damage to subsea cabling in the Baltic Seahas driven NATO to commit to bolstering the action of local navies. But how effective can it be?

In the wake of serious undersea cable damage throughout 2024, particularly towards the end of the year, NATO has developed a response named Baltic Sentry.

Announced on 14 January 2025 at a summit in Helsinki, Baltic Sentry has combined warships, drones, patrol aircraft and advanced surveillance systems, such as the UK-led Nordic Warden system, both to act as a deterrent to potential threats from adversary craft, and to potentially challenge saboteur vessels before or during their detrimental actions.

But can such a surface approach genuinely work to deliver safety to Baltic Sea underwater infrastructure? And if it can, how can

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