https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56472655 BBC Homepage * Skip to content * Accessibility Help * BBC Account * Home * News * Sport * Reel * Worklife * Travel * Future * Culture * MenuMore Search * Home * News * Sport * Reel * Worklife * Travel * Future * Culture * Music * TV * Weather * Sounds Close menu BBC News Menu * Home * Coronavirus * Video * World * US & Canada * UK * Business * Tech * Science * Stories * Entertainment & Arts More * Health * In Pictures * Reality Check * World News TV * Newsbeat * Long Reads * UK * England * N. Ireland * Scotland * Wales * Local News New Royal Navy ship to protect 'critical' undersea cables Published 9 hours ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing A member of the Royal Navyimage copyrightPA Media A new Royal Navy surveillance ship is to be built to protect "critical" undersea cables. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned "the lights could go out" if national infrastructure was lost, and the cables were "incredibly important". He also told the BBC's Andrew Marr that Russia had "taken a deep interest" in the cables and the UK would be "deeply exposed" without further measures. It comes ahead of Monday's publication of the defence command paper. The document will give more detail for the armed forces on the conclusions of the integrated review of the UK's foreign and defence policies. But some parts were already announced this week, including the lifting of the cap on the number of nuclear warheads the UK holds in its stockpile. * Fact-checking claims about the Army and nuclear weapons * Defence funding boost 'extends British influence' * From the archive: Where are the world's undersea cables? The government had previously committed to reducing the level to a maximum of 180 by the middle of the 2020s, but the move would allow the number to reach 260. Mr Wallace said it would ensure the country's nuclear deterrent was "credible", and would still be lower than other nations - pointing to France, which has 300. But Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the proposal had "baffled" opposition parties and they would not support it until the measure had been justified by the government. 'Risk of sabotage' Hundreds of thousands of miles of undersea cables circle the globe, providing internet and communications links between nations and continents. The Ministry of Defence said they are "vital to the global economy and communications between governments" and are at "risk of sabotage" due to "submarine warfare". The new Multi Role Ocean Surveillance ship will be fitted "with advanced sensors and will carry a number of remotely operated and autonomous undersea drones which will collect data". The vessel, staffed by 15 people and due to come into service in 2024, will carry out operations in both UK and international waters. The MoD added it will also "be able to support with other defence tasks, including exercises and operations in the Arctic which will become an increasingly contested area". 2px presentational grey line Analysis box by Jonathan Beale, defence correspondent Undersea cables carry more than 90% of the world's communications - including trillions of dollars worth of financial transactions every day. There's growing concern these underwater arteries could be vulnerable to attack. British and US military and intelligence officers have recently warned of Russian submarines "aggressively operating" near Atlantic undersea cables. The Ministry of Defence says there's a risk of sabotage - which presents an existential threat to the UK. As part of a wider defence review - the MoD will order a new Royal Navy surveillance ship to monitor this critical infrastructure. 2px presentational grey line Mr Wallace told the BBC: "The lights could go out if we lose our critical national infrastructure across the board. Cables are one part of that critical national infrastructure and incredibly important. "Russia has certainly taken a deep interest in those cables, not only to the United Kingdom but obviously to the continent of Europe. "[The vessel's] job is going to be to protect not only critical national infrastructure, but other things. It will be able to do other surveillance functions around the sea and everything else and I think it is really important that we invest in t hat because otherwise we are deeply exposed." * Defence reforms 'will help make UK match-fit' * UK to lift cap on nuclear stockpile after review Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised his plan for modernising the armed forces and foreign policy will help make the UK "match-fit". The Integrated Review, first announced in 2019, will set out the UK's defence and foreign affairs priorities for the next decade or so, during which cyber warfare in particular is expected to become a greater threat. Broader foreign policy from the review was announced this week, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab pledging to boost alliances in the Indo-Pacific region, describing it as "increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world". But more on how the Armed Forces could be overhauled will be announced on Monday, following a boost in funding late last year. The defence secretary was pushed by Andrew Marr on what the new command paper would mean for the size of the forces, but Mr Wallace said that was a decision for Parliament. He added: "What I can give you is the assurance that we have had a record settlement, so I am making decisions, not in an environment of falling tide like in previous cuts, but in an environment where I am going to make the decision to have the right Armed Forces to match our ambition and meet the threat." Around the BBC iPlayer banner * HAVE A LAZY LOCKDOWN SUNDAY WITH US: Check out the great selection of films on BBC iPlayer * COVID CONFIDENTIAL: How did the government make key decisions during the pandemic? Around the BBC iPlayer footer Related Topics * Ministry of Defence * Royal Navy More on this story * UK to shift foreign policy focus after review Published 5 days ago * Google data cable to link US, UK and Spain Published 28 July 2020 Top Stories * Miami Beach curfew over spring break 'chaos' Large crowds on the US city's party strips prompted an emergency overnight curfew. Published 30 minutes ago * Masks and social distancing 'could last years' Published 7 hours ago * Thousands to be evacuated as Sydney floods worsen Published 4 hours ago Features * Why some Americans are choosy about vaccine Shanyu Ye receives a Covid-19 vaccination dose outside the Karsh Family Social Service Center on March 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. * The website helping to sell homes with a bloody past Art Deco mansion * The Indian factory making 6,000 syringes a minute. VideoThe Indian factory making 6,000 syringes a minute A worker displays syringes at the Hindustan Syringes factory in Faridabad * North Korea's 'only openly gay defector' finds love Jang * Atlanta shootings and how we talk about violence Flowers and signs adorn Gold Spa where activists demonstrated against violence against women and Asians following Tuesday night's shooting where three women were gunned down on March 18, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia * Street tales from Myanmar: 'Take care of our baby if I die' Woman holding child * How dogs are helping Tasmanian devils find a mate. VideoHow dogs are helping Tasmanian devils find a mate Split screen of a dog and Tasmanian devil * The Viking warrior discovery that shook the academic world Viking * Why are US forces in Mozambique? Woman in Mozambique wearing mask, fled conflict in Cabo Delgado province. Elsewhere on the BBC * Football phrases 15 sayings from around the world football being kicked on a field - Vauxhall image blurred in the background. Most Read * Miami Beach curfew over spring break 'chaos'1 * Huge Chinese 'fishing fleet' alarms Philippines2 * Police attacked as Bristol protest turns violent3 * Masks and social distancing 'could last years'4 * Thousands to be evacuated as Sydney floods worsen5 * Diversity review under way at Buckingham Palace6 * Fireball meteor behind 'sonic boom' noise7 * The website helping to sell homes with a bloody past8 * US defence secretary on unannounced Afghan visit9 * US condemns Turkey for quitting violence treaty10 BBC News Services * On your mobile * On smart speakers * Get news alerts * Contact BBC News * Home * News * Sport * Reel * Worklife * Travel * Future * Culture * Music * TV * Weather * Sounds * Terms of Use * About the BBC * Privacy Policy * Cookies * Accessibility Help * Parental Guidance * Contact the BBC * Get Personalised Newsletters * Why you can trust the BBC * Advertise with us * AdChoices / Do Not Sell My Info (c) 2021 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. [p]