The UK government is backing a proposal for what would be the first new subsea data cable connecting Scotland and Norway in more than two decades, amid increased risks to critical infrastructure.

VodafoneThree is carrying out a feasibility study into the plan, identifying potential underwater routes between the Shetland Islands and Norway and possible landing points Norway’s west coast.

“Protecting our network of undersea cables is vital to keeping our country safe, said UK defence secretary Wes Streeting.

Critical infrastructure

“Our adversaries are increasingly targeting our critical national infrastructure, including the cables that carry data and enable internet traffic and financial transactions.”

He said the new cable could “strengthen the UK’s national resilience, prevent disruption and keep us all safe”.

Three such cables already link the UK and Norway, and one other is planned, according to figures from TeleGeography.

VodafoneThree recently completed a separate study into a new data cable between Shetland and the Scottish mainland, following significant connectivity outages in the islands last year.

Sabotage threat

This week the defence ministry proposed a network of underwater drones and sensors to help protect infrastructure in the north Atlantic from Russian sabotage.

In April, the ministry revealed it had tracked a months-long covert operation involving the use of three Russian submarines to survey critical underwater cables and pipelines in the north Atlantic.