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

3D rendering of a section of an underwater internet communication cable on the seabed in the ocean.

• 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).