Dublin: The Irish government has announced plans to deploy a large number of undersea tracking devices to monitor the State’s waters for hostile activity, specifically targeting Russian submarines. This move is part of a broader strategy to enhance “maritime domain awareness” and protect critical subsea infrastructure, such as internet cables and energy pipelines, from potential sabotage.
Key Features of the Defense Project:
- Sonobuoy Deployment: The Air Corps will drop dozens of “sonobuoys”—torpedo-shaped sensors about a meter long—from military aircraft. These devices float on the surface while lowering hydrophones to detect underwater movement.
- Sonar Technology: Following a €50 million contract with the French company Thales, the Naval Service will also receive advanced towed sonar systems by 2027. This will allow Irish patrol ships to detect submerged threats at long distances for the first time.
- Protecting Infrastructure: The initiative focuses on the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which has seen increased activity from Russian intelligence-gathering vessels like the Yantar in recent years.
- National Security: Officials stated that the project is essential to creating a “pattern of life” underwater, ensuring that threats to communications and energy security are identified early.
This investment represents a significant upgrade to Ireland’s naval capabilities, shifting from surface-only patrols to a comprehensive subsea surveillance model.
