21 May China comes out and shows the world its latest tool
By,
Octavio Pérez, Senior Fellow, MSI²
They always give you a hint of what is to come. China went from dragging anchors to a state-of-the-art cable-cutting system.
Not only have they done this, but they have proudly announced it to the world. Recent articles, as fresh as March 24th, Newsweek and others have mentioned this new technology.
This device, which is operational, clearly fielded, and part of the fleet, has been enhanced to reach depths of up to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), twice as deep as the deepest underwater cables currently in use.
The fact that it was openly displayed and reported in one of their journals (Mechanical Engineer) on their February 2025 edition clearly was meant to formally announce this new instrument of war-making, now once again, the subsurface part of the future war’s engagement. Fiber Optic cables carry up to 95% of the world’s data. As we have seen on the Baltic, Black seas, as well as around the Taiwan Straits, cable disruptions impact communications, businesses, and security.
“…While officially presented as a tool for civilian salvage and seabed mining, the device clearly has dual-use potential. The tool utilizes a diamond-coated grinding wheel spinning at 1,600 revolutions per minute, mounted on a submersible-compatible platform with a 1-kilowatt motor, to cut through steel-armored cables…” (Asia Times)
The Chinese fleet of deep-sea ships, cable laying, and cable cutting ships is far more robust and modern than that of the US and our allies. This will be another area where we may need to invest in the future. As we have seen, it is not only carried on the battlefield, but in space, and under the sea.
The recent incident in the Taiwan Straits of a ship caught dragging an anchor and a massive joint military exercise, which pretty much practiced the encirclement of Taiwan, just presents the potential for this tool to be used.
A significant area of concern is Guam, which has been on the news since it would be a target for both North Korean missiles and China, since it hosts the Joint Region Marianas Naval Base, but also a major hub of underwater communications cables. Teleguam hosts 12 undersea cables providing international connectivity between Asia and the US.
The other aspect that applies is not merely the cutting of a cable to disrupt, but that of piracy, in which cables can be cut and communications rerouted. So, another term is brought to the table: non-kinetic warfare, cyber-attacks. Taiwan depends on 15 underwater cables for its sustenance of communications. The fleet of cable repair ships is so overextended that no quick fix can resolve the problem should there be a massive sabotage. Taiwan has no resources.
The US deep-sea fleet has been struggling to keep up, with aging vessels and limited repair capabilities, which signal a grave area of concern in the future. Wars are fought not only on the battlefield but also under the sea and in space. Let’s not take it easy on this threat. It is here, it’s operational, and we must again react to a current threat.
References
Newsweek. (2025, March 24). China unveils game-changing weapon that could decide future wars. https://www.newsweek.com/china-unveils-game-changing-weapon-that-could-decide-future-wars-2049477
Asia Times. (2025, March 26). China brandishes cutter for snipping deep-sea cables. https://asiatimes.com/2025/03/china-brandishes-cutter-for-snipping-deep-sea-cables/#
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Miami Strategic Intelligence Institute (MSI²).