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Thursday 17 September 2020
Submarine cables important for data traffic run in the North Atlantic. In a NATO scenario, Russia could try to cut them off. A new unit of the alliance is to provide better protection in the huge sea area.
NATO has declared its new command of the armed forces for the Atlantic operational. The unit in Norfolk in the US state of Virginia aims to ensure better protection of transportation and communication routes between North America and Europe. “The North Atlantic is of crucial importance for the security of Europe,” said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The command will ensure that important reinforcement and supply routes through the vast maritime zone remain secured.
By strengthening its command structure and armed forces, NATO is responding primarily to Russia’s perceived aggressive policy. Eastern allies in particular have felt threatened since their large neighbor began supporting pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine in 2014 and annexed the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea.
One of the scenarios circulating in NATO is that Russian submarines could cut the submarine cables between the United States and Europe. Some of the Internet communication also flows through these cables. Attacks of this type could be part of a hybrid war, a mix of overt and covert acts of war.
The Norfolk Command (JFCNF) led by Vice Admiral Andrew Lewis is at the location of the US 2nd Fleet and complements a newly created command at Ulm (JSEC) in Baden-Württemberg. The latter had already reached the first stage of operational readiness a year ago and is responsible for the transport of troops and materials in Europe.
Both commands should be fully operational by September 2021. At the end of the day, the JSEC in Ulm will have around 270 officers and soldiers, in case of crisis up to 600. The planned workforce for the JFCNF in the United States is around than 150 women and men.
