Committee hears EUCOM concerns about cyber, space and undersea risks to allied operations

General Christopher Cavoli told the committee that space and cyber capabilities are “a contested environment” and that adversary capabilities have been growing. He said space capabilities are essential to operations and that Russia and China have been expanding their capacities.

On cyber, witnesses described two principal categories of Russian operations: influence and information operations, and technical cyber intrusions into networks. Cavoli said EUCOM “depends very, very heavily on U.S. Cyber Command” and the 16th Air Force for defensive and cooperative work with allies. Several members expressed concern about leadership continuity at Cyber Command and the NSA and asked the department to provide clear succession plans.

Lawmakers and Cavoli discussed undersea threats and anti-submarine warfare. Cavoli outlined the combined nature of anti-submarine efforts — submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and surface vessels — and pointed to allied contributions (Norway, the U.K., Denmark, Iceland) and the GIUK gap mission to monitor Russian submarines. He also described a NATO-led maritime surveillance effort (Baltic Century) that stitched together allied ships and radars to monitor surface and subsurface activity.

Members raised reports of potential sabotage of undersea infrastructure and noted growing Chinese investments in European ports and 5G infrastructure as strategic access and surveillance risks. Cavoli said allies have intervened in some cases to block problematic infrastructure deals and noted that exercising a broad set of port facilities helps the alliance understand access implications in a crisis.