- Category
- Latest news
Denmark Deploys Saildrones to Track Russian Moves in the Baltic Sea
- Authors
![Amira_barkhush]( "Photo of Amira Barkhush")
Denmark’s armed forces have deployed floating unmanned systems in the Baltic Sea to help protect underwater infrastructure and bolster surveillance amid growing concerns about potential hybrid attacks from Russia.
This was reported by The Guardian on June 19, citing Richard Jenkins, CEO of Saildrone.
The drones, developed by the US company Saildrone, can operate autonomously at sea for over a year and will also help monitor shadow fleet tankers transporting Russian oil.
According to the outlet, four of these sailboard-shaped drones, resembling windsurfing boards, have been deployed for initial trials to enhance the Danish Navy’s maritime surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities. Officials estimate that between 10 and 20 drones would be needed to cover the entire Baltic Sea.
“The purpose of Saildrone is to give eyes and ears where we previously didn’t have eyes and ears,” Jenkins said.
The agency noted that sail drones can help verify the identities of Russia’s shadow fleet vessels and detect suspicious movements that might indicate attempts to sabotage pipelines or undersea data cables.
“What we’re seeing now is commercial shipping fleets being used in military applications,” said Jenkins. “So, whether it’s the shadow fleet for Russia trafficking illegal supplies that is getting around sanctions or whether they are trying to do nefarious things like damage infrastructure, we need to be able to track that.”
On June 19, it was reported that Estonian authorities have begun constructing the first section of the Baltic Defense Line—a fortified barrier along the border with Russia.
