Britain could equip civilian ships with portable fibre-optic sonar systems capable of detecting Russian submarines and warships from more than 60 miles away.

Axar.az reports, citing The Telegraph, that the OptiArray system, developed by Dutch firm Optics11 and tested by the Royal Navy, uses fibre-optic cables and underwater acoustic sensors that can be deployed from almost any vessel, including cargo ships.

Optics11 chief executive Paul Heiden said the technology could significantly expand anti-submarine capabilities.

“Every ship, literally every ship, is capable of placing and running sea containers on their decks. That’s exactly what we do here,” Heiden said.

“Just imagine you equip every civilian ship with a towed array. It won’t use energy or cost anything … This is anti-submarine warfare in a box," he added.

According to the company, the system can detect an oil tanker at distances of up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) and a frigate at around 50 kilometres.

The technology is also being considered for protecting critical underwater infrastructure, including subsea cables and energy pipelines, amid growing concerns over Russian naval activity near Europe.

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