Teledyne deploys integrated sensing portfolio at 2026 SeaSEC Challenge Week
In one of the most sophisticated maritime security exercises currently underway, Teledyne Marine is putting its technology to the test during the 2026 SeaSEC Challenge Week. The race to develop integrated, multi-sensor defence solutions is accelerating as the threat to Europe's critical underwater infrastructure grows more acute.
The company is participating in DATA2SEA, the 2026 edition of the SeaSEC Challenge Weeks, an advanced maritime security exercise hosted by the Rostock Institute for Ocean Technologies in collaboration with the German Navy. Running from 13 to 24 April in the Baltic Sea, the exercise brings together technology providers, infrastructure operators, public authorities and research partners to test real-time, multi-sensor data integration in realistic operational conditions, with the protection of critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) at its core.
A unified approach
Rather than evaluating individual systems in isolation, DATA2SEA places a premium on integration: how different data streams, technologies and organizations can work in concert to deliver a coherent security picture. It is a priority that Teledyne, participating as a sensor provider across several consortiums, is well-placed to address.
Deploying a combination of passive acoustic monitoring, active sonar and surface surveillance technologies, Teledyne Marine and Teledyne FLIR will contribute integrated above- and below-surface capabilities across three environments: cable, platform and harbour protection.
"Protecting critical underwater infrastructure increasingly depends on the ability to connect and interpret data across multiple domains," said Morten Bernsdorf, project lead, Teledyne Marine. "SCWD2S provides a valuable platform to demonstrate how integrated sensing can enhance maritime situational awareness at scale, while bringing together industry partners to collaboratively address shared challenges and showcase what Teledyne's technology is capable of in real-world conditions."
Platform protection challenge
In the platform protection challenge, set in the Nienhagen area, Teledyne is deploying passive acoustic monitoring nodes around an offshore platform for continuous underwater surveillance, backed by a seabed-mounted SeaBat F50 forward-looking sonar for visual confirmation of detected activity. An unmanned surface vessel operated by partner Stormborn will provide mobile scanning capability, while a shore-based Teledyne FLIR thermal camera completes the surface picture.
The harbour protection challenge, taking place at Warnemünde, adds another layer of complexity. Here, Teledyne's acoustic monitoring system will identify the bearing of unusual underwater activity, which is then cross-referenced against radar and AIS tracks to distinguish threats from friendly targets – a workflow that illustrates how data fusion, rather than raw detection alone, is becoming central to modern maritime security.
With European focus on subsea infrastructure protection intensifying in the wake of high-profile incidents in recent years, exercises like SeaSEC are taking on added urgency. For Teledyne, DATA2SEA represents both a live demonstration of its integrated sensing portfolio and a contribution to the broader industry effort to develop the next generation of underwater security solutions.
