The Vulnerability of Submarine Cables
Chinese military researchers actively warn that underwater cables are increasingly vulnerable to low-cost drone attacks. Specifically, these critical cables carry 99 percent of all intercontinental data traffic. Furthermore, they support daily cross-border financial transactions worth approximately $10 trillion. Historically, the seabed remained a strategic blind spot due to immense exploration difficulties and high control costs. However, researchers Shi Guanglei and Shi Haiming state that this deep-sea environment is rapidly becoming a new arena for great power rivalry. Therefore, vital underwater pipelines and optical fiber networks now represent extremely easy targets for potential sabotage.
Unmanned Vehicles and the Aukus Alliance
The barrier to entry for undersea warfare is lowering significantly. In the past, underwater operations relied heavily on expensive and dangerous crewed submarines. Today, small unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) are low-cost, easy to deploy, and pose zero risk of human casualties. Consequently, the Chinese scientists pointed to the Aukus pact between Australia, Britain, and the United States as a key driver of this change. The Aukus alliance recently agreed to develop UUVs specifically to protect underwater infrastructure and conduct routine surveillance. However, researchers argue that this Western pact actually seeks military strategic advantages under the guise of cable protection.
The Future of Autonomous Underwater Warfare
The rapid evolution of UUVs fundamentally rewrites the logic of modern underwater warfare. Advanced artificial intelligence will soon allow these underwater drones to operate autonomously for weeks. This capability drastically reduces their chances of detection by eliminating the constant need to receive remote instructions. Furthermore, researchers envision a dangerous future featuring undersea “wolf packs”. These automated packs would consist of dozens or hundreds of UUVs patrolling infrastructure and executing coordinated ambushes. Ultimately, these autonomous drones could seamlessly link with surface vessels and aerial systems to create entirely new forms of maritime combat.
Reference
Chik, H., & Chik, H. (2026, 5 agosto). PLA scientists say submarine cables carrying 99% of global data could be ‘easy target’. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3363019/pla-scientists-say-submarine-cables-carrying-99-global-data-could-be-easy-target?share=wo57ZgPFYWCaK2I%2BGiRIUkdc%2F1eiQ5WXb954bP7MS%2FUBNZpzj%2BAmv16SJiE3LjruW0v1LIAc%2FsROwJ6ScG%2BJnDZqGP3ZuSbPaYDlISEXTDU%3D&utm_campaign=social_share