France is preparing for the “war of the abyss”

US Navy Bluefin-21 submarine robot (illustration).

Long inaccessible, the deep seabed is becoming a real geostrategic challenge for which France does not want to fall behind.

REUTERS/Australian Defense Force/Handout via Reuters

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

After the air, the ground, the sea and space, it is the abyss that is being militarized.

New demonstration this Monday, February 14, Florence Parly presented the French plan for the deep seabed.

the Minister of the Armed Forces notably announced several projects so that France is fully operational militarily at a depth of 6,000 meters. 

Advertising

Read more

Long inaccessible, the deep seabed is becoming a real geostrategic challenge.

Because being able to operate in the depths of the sea can bring great operational advantages to navies.

China, the United States, Russia have already equipped themselves or are in the process of doing so.

Don't miss the mark

And Florence Parly does not want to miss the boat.

The Minister of the Armed Forces thus announces the development of underwater drones and remotely piloted robots.

Objective: to be able, in 2025, to project oneself up to 6,000 meters deep. 

In the abyss, the French army will then be able to monitor the communication cables against any attempt at espionage or degradation.

Their importance is paramount: 99% of global digital communications pass through them.

Another subject that is gaining importance is the mineral resources of the oceans.

They are, in their vast majority, still untapped today;

but they attract more and more covetousness.

new frontier

Like space, the seabed is a new frontier that is still poorly understood.

Only 20% of underwater land is accurately mapped.

But they are now more and more numerous, States as companies, to want to play a part in it.

►

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

• France

• Defense

• oceans

• Raw materials