Exclusive Content

The seabed and uncrewed naval systems market is set to grow from US$1.7 billion in 2025 to US$3 billion by 2029. This report explores key national programmes and emerging technologies shaping the future of maritime security across leading global markets.

In this exclusive interview recorded ahead of Defence IQ’s Seabed Security conference, Gabriel Gómez, General Manager at Marine Instruments, discusses how the company’s technologies are helping to digitalise the maritime domain and strengthen the protection of critical underwater infrastructure. Drawing on Marine Instruments’ origins in fisheries technology, Gómez explains how innovations such as smart sensor buoys, solar-powered UAVs, and autonomous systems are now supporting maritime surveillance, seabed infrastructure protection, and multi-domain awareness. The conversation explores the importance of reliable data, the advantages of dual-use innovation, and the growing role of AI and autonomous platforms in securing an increasingly contested maritime environment.

As seabed activity accelerates worldwide, the protection of critical underwater infrastructure - from data cables and pipelines to military assets - has become a strategic imperative. This infographic offers a global snapshot of national programmes and cutting-edge technologies being deployed to enhance seabed security. From autonomous underwater vehicles to advanced mine countermeasure systems, discover how countries are responding to emerging maritime threats in the undersea domain. Produced in association with Defence IQ’s Seabed Security Conference, this visual guide supports understanding of current initiatives shaping the future of undersea defence.

This professional report examines the fast-emerging domain of seabed warfare - a critical but often overlooked frontier in modern defence strategy. Prompted by events such as the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, the analysis explores how vital undersea infrastructure, including communication cables, energy pipelines, and wind farm connectors, has become a target in grey zone and hybrid conflicts. Defence journalist Tim Ripley investigates the escalating risks, the evolving capabilities of key state actors, and the innovative technologies being developed to detect, deter, and respond to threats on the ocean floor.

Seabed Security provides a unique opportunity to engage directly with the organisations and individuals leading this effort. Taking place in Troia, Portugal, the event will convene senior naval leaders, seabed warfare specialists, defence technologists, and programme managers to explore strategies, technologies, and collaborative approaches to securing the seabed.

To help you plan your attendance, we’ve released the attendee list, offering a clear view of the companies and job titles already confirmed. Whether you're looking to benchmark your approach, build partnerships, or gain insight into current priorities, this list shows exactly who you’ll be meeting.

The seabed has become a new frontier of strategic importance, carrying the data, energy, and resources that modern societies depend on. As risks grow from natural hazards, human activity, and deliberate threats, protecting this critical infrastructure demands greater resilience, innovation, and cooperation. In this exclusive Defence iQ interview, Rear Admiral Nuno de Noronha Bragança offers his expert insights into these challenges, drawing on his experience at the Atlantic Centre to highlight the need for collective action in safeguarding the underwater domain.

The Joint Maritime Conference brings together four leading naval defence events, Seabed Security, Uncrewed Naval Systems, Maritime ISR, and Surface Warship, at a single venue in Tróia, Portugal. Delegates will gain access to cutting-edge insights, operational case studies, and opportunities to engage with senior leaders, technologists, and industry innovators across the maritime domain.

By attending, seabed security professionals can explore the latest approaches to underwater monitoring, critical infrastructure protection, and threat detection, while benefiting from exposure to complementary expertise in surface, ISR, and uncrewed naval systems.

The seabed is no longer a distant or secondary concern. As undersea infrastructure grows in scale and strategic importance, so too does the need to better understand the environment in which it operates. From submarine operations to advanced acoustic research and NATO-level concept development, Captain Dr. Serdar Tombul brings a perspective grounded in both operational experience and technical expertise. Ahead of Seabed Security 2026, he reflects on how environmental intelligence, evolving technologies, and closer international cooperation are reshaping how we approach the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.