These sensors "eavesdrop using light" to protect Europe from underwater sabotage.
Dutch technology scale-up Optics11 has introduced an underwater monitoring system that utilizes light waves to "listen" for foreign objects. Named OptiBarrier, the system is capable of detecting enemy submarines, drones, and surface vessels from distances of up to 150km without revealing its own position.
“Our method involves listening with light,” stated the company’s CEO, Paul Heiden, in an interview with TNW. “This means our technology is completely undetectable and cannot be jammed.”
Traditionally, underwater listening is conducted through electromagnetic fields. Devices send out electromagnetic pulses and identify objects, such as ships or submarines, by analyzing the returning waves. While effective, this method can be detected by enemy vessels and is susceptible to jamming.
OptiBarrier employs a different technique. Sound waves produced by nearby vessels result in tiny pressure fluctuations in the underwater fiber optic sensors, changing the behavior of the light.
These subtle changes are sent via cable to land where specialized software analyzes the disturbances, converting photonic pulses into significant acoustic data.
Heiden explained that the system automatically matches the noise against an extensive military database of vessel sounds. “Based solely on the sound pattern, we can often identify the type of ship approaching. In some instances, we can even determine the exact make and model,” he remarked.
This level of intelligence could provide navies and coastal authorities with a significant tactical edge, offering early alerts to incoming threats while remaining invisible to adversaries.
OptiBarrier has been tested at the Seabed Security Experimentation Centre (SeaSEC) in The Hague, Netherlands. The company intends to launch it in Europe first but has not disclosed a timeline for rollout.
The introduction of this system comes amid growing concerns regarding maritime security. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, apprehensions have increased about the vulnerability of underwater infrastructure, including subsea cables, offshore wind farms, and gas pipelines.
The conflict and ongoing geopolitical strains are motivating European governments to enhance investments in maritime defense technology, including the deployment of autonomous ocean surveillance drones and the construction of new submarines.
Optics11 has also created a second product, OptiArray, specifically designed for submarines and underwater drones. Utilizing the same fiber optic technology, this version functions not as a seafloor device but as an antenna affixed directly to the vessel’s exterior. It enables these underwater crafts to detect nearby threats while remaining entirely undetectable themselves.
The Royal Netherlands Navy is currently testing OptiArray and plans to incorporate it into its upcoming class of submarines, which is set to be launched in 2032.
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These sensors "eavesdrop using light" to protect Europe from underwater sabotage.
The system is capable of detecting enemy submarines, drones, and surface ships from a distance of up to 150km — all while keeping its own location concealed.