Overview
- First Sea Lord Gwyn Jenkins said Russia’s GUGI deep-sea program has been reset and is expected to deploy again, heightening concern about activity close to the UK.
- He warned that GUGI’s deep-diving submersibles give the Kremlin options for “physical action” against seabed infrastructure such as cables and pipelines.
- The government reports Russian activity off the British coast is up 30% in two years, with the spy ship Yantar sighted twice in 2025 and accused of using lasers against RAF aircraft near Shetland.
- The Ministry of Defence has launched Atlantic Bastion with £4 million in contracts for acoustic sensors and autonomous craft using AI, with a further £35 million proposed next year subject to funding decisions.
- The Royal Navy has tightened cooperation with Norway to monitor transits through the GIUK gap, as Parliament’s Defence Committee warns the UK still lacks a coherent plan for homeland defence.