The Mangrove Consortium is studying underwater battlefields

Mangroves, because they are the plants capable of creating a vast network of aquatic roots. Hence the name of the Mangrove Consortium, which is focused on the underwater connectivity of the future. Over the last decade, the underwater domain has become one of the main fronts in the strategic competition between powers. Whilst during the Cold War the advantage lay primarily with the most sophisticated platforms – nuclear submarines, anti-submarine frigates and large-scale sonar systems – today the trend is shifting towards distributed sensor networks, autonomous vehicles and interconnected digital systems. It is within this context that the Allied Underwater Battlespace Mission Network (AUWB-MN) operates; this initiative, promoted within NATO, aims to create an interoperable network capable of linking naval assets, fixed sensors, autonomous platforms and command centres within a single operational ecosystem.

The project has its origins in the NATO Anti-Submarine Warfare Barrier Smart Defence Initiative, launched under British leadership in response to the gradual reduction in traditional anti-submarine capabilities and the increasing activity of advanced submarines in strategic areas of the North Atlantic. The main challenge is to ensure continuous surveillance of vast maritime areas without relying solely on costly manned naval vessels.

To achieve this objective, NATO is looking to the Mangrove Consortium, led by the Swedish company Saab and comprising specialist firms – notably Cetena, part of the Fincantieri Group – as well as European research centres and universities. The consortium has been tasked with developing a common reference architecture that will enable systems from different countries to communicate and share information in a standardised manner. In other words, Mangrove is working on creating a sort of ‘underwater internet’ capable of connecting autonomous vehicles, seabed sensors, naval vessels and aerial platforms. The distinctive feature of the underwater environment is that traditional radio communications are ineffective due to the high signal attenuation in water. For this reason, the AUWB-MN is based on a combination of different technologies: acoustic communications for long distances, optical modems for faster short-range data transfers, and blue-green laser systems for high-speed links between neighbouring nodes. The aim is to ensure continuous connectivity even in an environment that is extremely complex and physically hostile.

One of the most innovative aspects of the project, launched last year, is the so-called ‘Common Digital Backbone’, a shared digital backbone that enables the exchange of data between heterogeneous platforms. Through this infrastructure, an autonomous vehicle deployed by an allied navy could transmit information gathered in the field to a sensor installed on the seabed, to a surface vessel or to a maritime patrol aircraft belonging to another Alliance country. The shift from a platform-centred approach to a network-centred one represents a profound transformation of naval warfare. In the past, operational value depended primarily on the quality of the individual asset; today, the advantage tends to stem from the ability to integrate hundreds of sensors and autonomous systems into a single distributed network. This approach offers greater resilience, as the loss of a single node does not necessarily compromise the functioning of the entire system.

The programme also places great emphasis on autonomy and artificial intelligence. The new generation of underwater vehicles is designed to remain at sea for long periods, collecting data and carrying out monitoring activities without requiring the constant presence of human operators. Thanks to local data processing, the systems can filter out biological noise, maritime traffic and other sources of interference, transmitting only the data that is truly relevant. This reduces the volume of communications and increases the network’s energy efficiency. At the same time, there is growing focus on the protection of critical subsea infrastructure. Over 95 per cent of global internet traffic passes through fibre-optic cables laid on the ocean floor, whilst gas and power pipelines are essential to the economic security of many countries. The ability to monitor this infrastructure and detect suspicious activity in a timely manner has become a strategic priority. In this context, the AUWB-MN not only fulfils a military function but also contributes to the protection of vital civilian infrastructure.