JEF Deploys Advanced AI System to Monitor Undersea Threats

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led multinational military partnership in Northern Europe, has activated an advanced system to detect threats to undersea infrastructure and track Russia's shadow fleet. This move comes in response to recent damage to a major undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.

On December 26, the Finnish coastguard boarded and seized the tanker Eagle S, part of the "dark fleet" serving Russia, on suspicion of damaging a subsea power cable between Finland and Estonia, as well as disrupting several data cables.

Finland’s swift action stood in contrast to the response in November when the vessel Yi Peng 3—suspected of severing cables connecting Sweden, Germany, and Finland—was anchored for a month before a brief investigation by Danish, Swedish, and German authorities allowed it to leave.

The newly activated naval operation, named Nordic Warden, leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze data from multiple sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) used by ships to broadcast their positions. This enables real-time risk assessments of vessels entering monitored areas.

Specific ships identified as part of Russia’s shadow fleet have been logged into the system, allowing them to be closely observed as they approach strategic locations. When a vessel is deemed a potential risk, the system tracks it in real time and issues warnings to JEF nations and NATO allies.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey praised the initiative: “Harnessing the power of AI, this UK-led system is a major innovation which allows us the unprecedented ability to monitor large areas of the sea with a comparatively small number of resources, helping us stay secure at home and strong abroad.”

The JEF is currently monitoring 22 key maritime zones, including parts of the English Channel, North Sea, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea, from its operational headquarters in the UK. Personnel from all 10 JEF member nations work collaboratively at the headquarters.

This system builds on last month’s agreement between the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland, and Estonia to demand proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels traveling through the Baltic and the English Channel. Additionally, new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet are expected to be announced soon by the UK, the US, and the European Union.