Off the coast of Gotland, Sweden, scientists from the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) are deploying cutting-edge acoustic sensors to see if they might help NATO Allies detect and respond to sabotage of underwater pipelines and data cables. One key trial involves using ballast anchors to replicate the acoustic signature of an anchor drop – a method suspected in recent incidents of seabed interference. This research supports the development of tools to detect, track, and assess such events in real time.
The month-long mission also marks a milestone as NATO operates in newly accessible waters alongside its newest Allies, Sweden and Finland. The Baltic’s complex seabed and dense infrastructure provide an ideal test environment.
NRV Alliance, based in La Spezia, Italy, is NATO’s floating laboratory, operated by CMRE scientists and crewed by the Italian Navy.
SWEDEN
06.21.2025
Natochannel