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China tests submarine cable cutter at 3,500-metre depth

A Chinese deep-sea mission has successfully tested an advanced device capable of cutting through underwater structures such as submarine cable at a depth of thousands…

By Samantha Johnson / April 15, 2026

A Chinese deep-sea mission has successfully tested an advanced device capable of cutting through underwater structures such as submarine cable at a depth of thousands of metres.

The “Haiyang Dizhi 2” research vessel completed its first deep-sea scientific mission of 2026 last Saturday, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The expedition included a cutting test of a deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator at a depth of 3,500 metres (11,483 feet), using technology that has drawn attention for its potential military use.

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“The sea trial has bridged the ‘last mile’ from deep-sea equipment development to engineering application,” the official China Science Daily reported on Saturday, suggesting the equipment was now poised for actual deployment.

The Haiyang Dizhi 2’s electro-hydrostatic actuator is expected to play a role in the construction and repair of deep-sea oil and gas pipelines. Photo: Handout
The Haiyang Dizhi 2’s electro-hydrostatic actuator is expected to play a role in the construction and repair of deep-sea oil and gas pipelines. Photo: Handout

An electro-hydrostatic actuator, or EHA, integrates the hydraulic system, electric motor and control unit into a single compact device, eliminating the external oil piping typical of conventional systems.

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