The Atlantic Bastion

This research paper explores the strategic concept of the Atlantic Bastion, a key element of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review 2025, designed to bolster NATO’s maritime deterrence against Russian submarine threats in the North Atlantic. The authors assess the Bastion’s current deterrent value and propose refinements to enhance its effectiveness in countering Russian naval strategies.

Key Recommendations

• Expand geographical scope: Extend the Atlantic Bastion westward into the Atlantic for early detection of Russian submarine surges and eastward into the Barents Sea to constrain under-ice transit.
   
• Enhance tracking capabilities: Incorporate larger uncrewed systems with active sonar to provide depth and enable continuous tracking of Russian submarines beyond the Bastion.
   
• Integrate maritime strike capabilities: Include long-range strike assets, such as Tomahawk-equipped platforms, within the Bastion to reinforce deterrence by punishment.
   
• Develop sea-mining capabilities: Strengthen NATO’s sea-mining capacity to protect critical areas and disrupt Russian submarine operations.
   
• Regain under-ice capability: Prioritise the regeneration of the Royal Navy’s under-ice submarine operations to counter Russian SSBNs in the Arctic.

The paper emphasises the need for a layered and scalable approach to the Atlantic Bastion, combining uncrewed systems, traditional crewed platforms, and advanced strike capabilities to ensure NATO’s maritime dominance and deter Russian aggression effectively.