The French Ministry of Armed Forces last week unveiled a new strategy to broaden the capabilities of the navy to control the seabed in its territorial waters.
As per France’s Defense Minister Florence Parly, the new “Seabed Control Operations” strategy has been developed to equip the navy to reach a depth of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) to protect the country’s strategic interests.
“The seabed constitutes a new field of conflict in the same way as exo-atmospheric space, cyberspace, and the information sphere,” the French Ministry of Armed Forces said.
“With the second [largest] exclusive economic zone in the world, France wants to be able to guarantee the freedom of action of its forces and to protect its sovereignty, its resources, and its infrastructure even in the depths of the ocean,” the ministry added.
Seabed Control Operations Program
As a part of the program, the ministry will partner with the government defense procurement agency and industry partners to develop autonomous unmanned vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
France plans to develop one AUV and one ROV by next year for initial testing and assessment. The navy already has mine warfare and oceanography capabilities to control the seabed.
The country has similarly been moving forward with submarine surveillance and protecting underwater infrastructure and resources.
Deep Seabed Exploration on List
France is in the process of prioritizing deep seabed exploration as an investment opportunity to gain access to rare metals such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese and a better understanding of marine ecosystems.
French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly allotted 300 million euros ($340.3 million) in funding for the initiative.