A new deep-sea device developed by China has caught the world’s attention. The China Ship Scientific Research Centre (CSSRC) and the State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Crewed Vehicles developed this powerful cable-cutter to operate at depths of up to 4,000 meters—twice the depth reached by similar tools today.
A Powerful Cable-Cutter That Cuts Deep
This device is no ordinary cutter. Its diamond-coated grinding wheel spins 1,600 times every minute, allowing it to slice through steel-armored cables with great precision and minimal disturbance. These cables lie deep in the ocean and carry nearly 95% of the world’s internet traffic, financial data, and voice communications.
Engineers built the device using a strong titanium alloy shell to withstand the extreme pressure of the ocean floor. They equipped it with oil-sealed systems to protect its inner components from water damage. To function effectively in the deep and dark ocean, the developers added robotic arms and advanced sensors that help it operate even without light.
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China now deploys this device using its modern submersibles like Fendouzhe and Haidou. These underwater vehicles—either crewed or uncrewed—have tested the cutter successfully, even on thick cables measuring over 60 millimeters in diameter.
A New Threat to Global Communications
The cable-cutter is not just a scientific tool. Even though it has peaceful uses like underwater mining and repairing cables, it also has serious military uses. Experts around the world are concerned about its ability to cut underwater internet cables near sensitive areas, including military zones. These underwater cables are vital for countries to stay connected. If someone damages these cables, they can cause major disruptions in how the world communicates.
A news report raised concerns that China might use this tool near areas like Guam, where important U.S. defense systems operate. Cutting just one or two of these underwater cables in critical locations can shut down the internet, stop online banking systems, and cut off communications for entire countries.
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Operators can deploy this device secretly using robotic submersibles, which makes the situation even more serious. These unmanned vehicles work without surfacing, making detection difficult. They can slip into strategic locations unnoticed and damage key cables without warning.
Countries rely on undersea cables—not satellites—for most of their global communication. If attackers cut those cables, even major economies can lose their connection to the rest of the world. That’s why many governments now express concern. This tool proves that technology created for exploration can also serve purposes that create serious global problems.
China’s Expanding Cable-Cutter Capabilities Under the Sea
This new cable-cutter is just one part of China’s fast-growing undersea technology efforts. China now operates the world’s largest fleet of crewed and uncrewed underwater vehicles. These machines are not only being used for research or mining, but they are also capable of military operations.
China’s undersea vehicles can stay deep underwater for long periods. They can explore and map the seafloor, locate important resources, or target communication hubs. Because they don’t have to come to the surface, these vehicles can work quietly and secretly.
Even though Chinese research teams say the cable-cutter is meant for marine development and repair, its design shows it can be used to damage or destroy underwater communication systems. Its ability to cut through thick armored cables is proof of its strength and precision.
Governments and military analysts are now keeping a close eye on China’s undersea operations. This tool has added to growing fears that technology built for scientific reasons is being adapted for strategic military purposes. With more and more undersea activity, experts say that the ocean floor is no longer just a quiet place for exploration—it has become a zone of high tension and potential conflict.
As global dependence on undersea cables continues, the ability to destroy or control them can cause real harm. With this cable-cutter in action, many fear that the peaceful ocean may become a new battlefield for silent attacks on the systems that connect the world.