IRIA News

NATO’s Science for Peace, and Security (SPS) program and the U.S.’s Cornell University have launched a $2.5 million project designed to reroute allied communication from undersea cables to space-based systems in the event of disruption.

The innovative project aims to make the internet “less vulnerable to disruption by rerouting the flow of information into space in the event that undersea cables are attacked or accidentally severed,” the NATO statement highlighted.

The project seeks to create a robust hybrid network that seamlessly integrates traditional undersea fiber optic cables with commercial high-bandwidth telecommunication satellites, ensuring uninterrupted data flow between NATO allies during both peacetime and conflict.

The initiative comes at a time when the security of undersea cables, which carry an estimated 95% of global communications, has become a growing concern. These cables, embedded deep beneath the oceans, form the backbone of the global internet infrastructure, transmitting vast amounts of data across continents. Any disruption to these cables, whether due to natural disasters, accidents, or deliberate attacks, could have catastrophic consequences for global communication networks.

Cornell Engineering’s Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Greg Falco, underscored the critical importance of these cables, stating, “Ninety-five percent of all communications flow through subsea fiber optic cables. If those go down, we’re done as an IT society.” His stark assessment highlights the potential vulnerabilities in the current global communication infrastructure and the urgent need for a more resilient system.

The SPS-Cornell project aims to address these vulnerabilities by developing a prototype that leverages both existing undersea cables and satellite technology. This hybrid network is expected to provide a reliable alternative pathway for data transmission, effectively mitigating the risks associated with undersea cable disruptions.

Falco elaborated on the project’s vision, explaining, “What we want to do, ultimately, is create a new backbone for the internet and redesign how it flows. And we can do that by creating this hybrid submarine cable network and satellite communication network that works together seamlessly to relay data to the relevant parties.”

The project is not solely focused on the technological challenges but also addresses the broader implications of such a system. To achieve this, SPS and Cornell are collaborating with several key partners, including the Swedish Defense University and Johns Hopkins University’s Bifrost team.

The Swedish Defense University will contribute to the development of an “ultra-precise” surveillance solution, which will be crucial in detecting and responding to threats to subsea cables. This surveillance system is expected to play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the undersea network by scanning for potential threats and enabling rapid responses to any disruptions.

Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins Bifrost will take on the task of managing research on rerouting communication traffic through alternative pathways, such as data centers, if submarine cables are compromised. This aspect of the project is critical for ensuring that data can still be transmitted reliably, even if the primary undersea routes are unavailable.

Another crucial component of the project involves addressing the legal and jurisdictional challenges associated with international data transfer. A third team within the consortium has been tasked with reviewing the processes and frameworks needed to ensure that the new communication system operates within the bounds of international law. This is particularly important given the complex regulatory environment surrounding global telecommunications and the potential for geopolitical tensions to arise.

The project is expected to move swiftly, with a prototype demonstration planned within the next two years. The demonstration will take place at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden, where the project team will showcase the capabilities of the new hybrid communication network. Depending on the results of this demonstration, the project could expand to include additional collaborations with satellite companies, paving the way for the scaling up of the infrastructure.

As the project progressed, Falco emphasized the complexity of the endeavor, noting, “We are assembling pieces of the puzzle and trying to create this massive new ecosystem. I’d say this is 100% a systems engineering problem, meaning that none of the tech that we’re going to build or assemble hasn’t already in some form been conceived in other applications.” He added, “This is about fitting all the pieces together. From an engineering perspective, it’s hard, but then also you have the regulatory and political and economic nature of this, which is also hard.”

The SPS-Cornell collaboration marks a significant step forward in securing global communications. By creating a resilient, hybrid network that combines the strengths of both undersea and space-based technologies, NATO and its partners are working to ensure that allied communications remain secure and reliable in an increasingly interconnected and volatile world.