China is not even hiding it any more… the country has unveiled a compact, deep-sea, cable-cutting device, capable of severing the world's most fortified underwater communication or power lines at depths of up to 4,000m — twice the maximum operational range of existing subsea communication infrastructure.
The device has been designed specifically for integration with China's advanced crewed and uncrewed submersibles like the Striver (奋斗者 / Fendouzhe) and the Haidou (海斗) series.
Developed by China Ship Scientific Research Centre (CSSRC) and its affiliated State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Manned Vehicles, the device targets armored cables — layered with steel, rubber and polymer sheaths — that underpin 95% of global data transmission.
While it was created as a tool for civilian salvage and seabed mining, the dual-use potential of the tool could send alarm bells ringing for other nations. For example, it can be used to cut cables near strategic chokepoints such as Guam.
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