China completes testing on deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator capable of slicing undersea cables as deep as 3.5 kilometers new compact subsea vessel testing bridges the last mile and could deploy in 2026

Date:
Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:10:00 +0000

Description:
China successfully tests a new subsea cable cutting vessel - will it be used by the military?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Pro Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter China has successfully tested a new subsea cable cutting vessel The vessel uses a self-contained electro-hydrostatic actuator While designed for civilian purposes, the vessel has military application China has completed the first successful test on a new deep-sea vessel that is capable of cutting subsea cables at a depth of 3,500 meters (11,483 feet).

A report from SCMP claims the new Haiyang Dizhi 2 research vessel reportedly completed sea trials of a new 'deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator. The
test bridged the last mile from deep-sea equipment development to engineering application, the official China Science Daily reported. Article continues below You may like Russia launched a covert operation to deploy undersea sabotage vessels in UK waters Google's 'America-India Connect' is filling in the last gaps for a truly global subsea cable network Forget lasers and missiles, China wants to kill drones using a common tech households use everyday in kitchens all around the world invisible microwave weapons can
fry electronics but still require line-of-sight and proximity Deep-sea cable cutter can slice through steel Rather than relying on a connection with a surface vessel to provide the external oil piping used by hydraulic mechanisms, the deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator is a self-contained
unit that houses the hydraulic system, electric motor and controls.

The vessel is touted as being designed for deep-sea engineering purposes. But like many technologies designed for civilian application, the vessel also has the potential to be used to sabotage subsea cables of nations that China
views as hostile - such as the US.

Subsea cables are the arteries of modern digital life transporting over 95%
of all international internet traffic - and with it much of the data our businesses and economies rely on. They are typically buried just beneath the sea floor at a depth of around 2,000 meters (6,561 feet), but can be laid deeper, particularly across large stretches of ocean.

Most subsea cables use a layered protective sheath of steel, rubber, and polymer, arranged to provide protection not only against the crushing pressures at the bottom of the ocean, but also against ship anchors, bottom trawling fishing vessels, and subsea vessels such as these. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get
all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

This isnt the first deep-sea cable cutter that China has revealed. The China Ship Scientific Research Centre (CSSRC) and the State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Manned Vehicles has also developed a vessel that uses a diamond-coated grinding wheel to slice through sub-sea cables at depths of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet).

Subsea cables have become lucrative targets for espionage and disruption. In late 2024, two subsea cables in the Baltic sea were damaged , with Finnish authorities seizing a ship believed to belong to the Russian shadow fleet as the responsible party. The UK government recently revealed that Russia launched undersea sabotage vessels in UK waters with the intention of targeting subsea cables in the North Sea.

Plans to lay cables in the Red Sea as part of projects such as Meta's 2Africa Pearls project have been delayed or cancelled due to hostilities between the US and Iran. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/china-completes-testing-on-deep-sea-ele ctro-hydrostatic-actuator-capable-of-slicing-undersea-cables-as-deep-as-3-5-ki lometers-new-compact-subsea-vessel-testing-bridges-the-last-mile-and-could-dep loy-in-2026


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