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.