China has developed a compact deep-sea cable-cutting device that can cut 95% of all information and energy underwater communications in the world, the South China Morning Post reports.
The device was developed by the China Marine Science Research Center and the State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Manned Vehicles of China. The tool is capable of operating at depths of up to 4,000 meters, which is twice the depth of existing underwater communication infrastructure. The cutter is designed to integrate with modern Chinese unmanned and manned underwater vehicles.
The cutter targets so-called "armored cables" - the steel, rubber and polymer-sheathed lines that make up the vast majority of global data transmission. It uses a diamond-coated wheel that spins at 1,600 rpm, generating enough force to destroy steel, while the device's titanium alloy body and oil seals prevent it from exploding even during prolonged use.
Although this device is designed for rescue operations and mining on the seabed, its other capabilities may cause concern in various countries, the publication notes.