New Large-Core Fiber Optic Cable for Greek Surveillance Use

Greece is deploying ultra-high-capacity subsea fiber optic cables, including multicore systems, which can support both digital connectivity and advanced surveillance applications.

High-Capacity Fiber Projects in Greece

ARTEMIS is a new subsea optical fiber cable system being constructed by Grid Telecom, linking Crete with mainland Greece. It spans approximately 280 kilometers and features at least 24 fiber-pairs, delivering a total design capacity of 720 Tbps, with potential to exceed 1 petabit per second . This system is engineered for next-generation technologies and positions Crete as a strategic digital hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. Thetis Express, developed by Vodafone, is another high-capacity subsea cable connecting Crete and Athens, with a total length of around 340 kilometers. It is capable of transmitting up to 180 Tbps, supporting carrier-neutral data centers and enhancing Greece's digital infrastructure .

Large-Core and Multicore Fiber Technology

Recent advances in multicore optical fiber, such as NEC's 12-core fiber, allow multiple cores within a single fiber, drastically increasing data throughput without increasing cable diameter. These fibers are particularly suited for submarine cables, enabling long-distance, high-capacity transmission while reducing the number of physical cables required . Multicore fibers require specialized terminal equipment to manage inter-core crosstalk and spatial multiplexing, making them ideal for future-proof, large-scale deployments.

Surveillance and Strategic Applications

Fiber optic cables can also serve dual-use purposes. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology converts standard fiber optic cables into continuous acoustic sensors capable of detecting vibrations, submarine movements, and other undersea activity. This allows existing or new subsea cables to function as passive sonar arrays, providing real-time monitoring over thousands of kilometers at a fraction of the cost of traditional sonar systems . Such capabilities could be integrated with Greece's new high-capacity cables to enhance maritime surveillance and national security.

Strategic Implications

The deployment of ARTEMIS, Thetis Express, and multicore fiber systems strengthens Greece's geopolitical and digital footprint, offering both commercial and strategic advantages. These cables not only support high-speed internet, cloud services, and data center interconnectivity but also provide infrastructure that could be leveraged for maritime monitoring, submarine detection, and secure communications . In summary, Greece's new large-core and multicore fiber optic cables represent a state-of-the-art digital backbone with the potential for dual-use surveillance applications, combining ultra-high-capacity data transmission with advanced monitoring capabilities.