Subsea Sabotage: Europe’s Light-Based Sensor Network
- Optics11, a Dutch technology company, has released a new underwater monitoring system called OptiBarrier.
- The OptiBarrier system can detect submarines, drones, and surface vessels up to 150 kilometers away without revealing its own location.
- Traditional underwater surveillance relies on electromagnetic fields, which are detectable and can be jammed.
discover how a cutting-edge light-based sensor network is revolutionizing European maritime security. Optics11’s OptiBarrier, an undetectable underwater monitoring system, uses light waves to identify threats like submarines and drones up to 150 kilometers away. this groundbreaking technology, a primary_keyword, utilizes fiber optic sensors, offering a critically important advantage over traditional methods prone to jamming. Developed amidst rising concerns about subsea infrastructure,OptiBarrier offers early warnings. The Dutch Navy is testing OptiArray, a related secondary_keyword, for submarines. News Directory 3 reports on the growing investment in advanced maritime defense prompted by global tensions. Witness the next generation of underwater surveillance. discover what’s next …
Optics11 Unveils Undetectable Underwater Monitoring System
Updated June 25, 2025
Optics11, a Dutch technology company, has released a new underwater monitoring system called OptiBarrier. This system employs light waves to detect foreign objects, offering a novel approach to maritime security.
The OptiBarrier system can detect submarines, drones, and surface vessels up to 150 kilometers away without revealing its own location. According to Paul Heiden, CEO of Optics11, the technology is undetectable and cannot be jammed because it “listens with light.” This new underwater monitoring system enhances maritime security.
Traditional underwater surveillance relies on electromagnetic fields, which are detectable and can be jammed. OptiBarrier, however, uses fiber optic sensors to detect minute pressure changes caused by sound waves from passing vessels. These changes are transmitted to land,where specialized software converts them into acoustic data.
Heiden said the system compares the noise to a military database of vessel sounds. “From the sound pattern alone, we can frequently enough tell what kind of ship is approaching. In some cases, we can identify the exact make and model,” he said.
This intelligence provides navies and coastal authorities with a tactical advantage, offering early warnings of potential threats while remaining hidden from the enemy. The system has been tested at the Seabed Security experimentation Center (SeaSEC) in The Hague, Netherlands. the company plans to launch it in Europe first.
The introduction of OptiBarrier comes amid growing concerns about maritime security. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022,there have been increased concerns about the vulnerability of subsea infrastructure,including cables,wind farms,and pipelines. This has led to increased investment in maritime defense technology.
Optics11 has also developed OptiArray, designed for submarines and underwater drones. This system uses fiber optic technology as an antenna on the vessel’s exterior, enabling the detection of nearby threats while remaining undetectable. The Royal Netherlands navy is testing OptiArray and plans to integrate it into its new submarines by 2032.
What’s next
As geopolitical tensions rise, expect further investment in advanced maritime defense technologies like OptiBarrier and OptiArray, enhancing underwater monitoring capabilities and maritime security.