Besides Air and Drone Defense, an Amplified Look at Undersea
Posted by HCN on Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Developments as with many technologies, are ramping up on a global scale.
Erudition at this moment might not be as much as popular products in the US today, like cell phones and the Internet, however, adeptness of undersea capacities and vulnerabilities might become a must.
Here is a Google AI overview of where undersea issues may be prevalent:
"Undersea cables are a global issue in several vulnerable geographical areas, including the Red Sea (due to conflict and maritime traffic), Africa (where infrastructure is susceptible to accidental damage and vulnerability), the Baltic Sea (due to its commercial shipping routes and potential for sabotage), and generally in critical telecommunications choke points and shore zones where cables make landfall. Both accidental damage from ships and intentional actions from state or non-state actors pose risks to these vital digital lifelines. "
CSIS.org says,
"An estimated 90 percent of communications between Europe and Asia and 17 percent of global internet traffic traverse cables under the 14-mile-wide Bab al Mandab Strait.
The Yemeni government warned in early February that Houthi rebels might target undersea cables.
...
Internet cables near Svalbard and the Shetland Islands were cut in 2022, the same year the Nord Stream gas pipelines were sabotaged. Last year the Balticconnector pipeline between Finland and Estonia was damaged along with two subsea cables..."
https://www.csis.org/analysis/red-sea-cable-damage-reveals-soft-underbelly-global-economy
DPP in Taiwan concerned. [Per Taiwan Cabinet]. "The proposed legal changes would increase penalties for intentionally damaging infrastructure such as submarine communications cables, undersea power lines, and pipelines for water and natural gas"
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6203736
Framework perhaps making it a pertinent current issue is "gray zone".
RAND says in July 2025 article Undersea Cables Are Vulnerable to Sabotage—but This Takes Skill and Specialist Equipment,
"Critical undersea infrastructure (CUI) as these connections are known, supports about US$9 trillion (£6.6 trillion) worth of trade per day. A coordinated attack on this network could undoubtedly have devastating consequences."
https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2025/07/undersea-cables-are-vulnerable-to-sabotage-but.html
Key words/terms/phrases:
- CUI
- critical infrastructure
- undersea submarine communication cables
- undersea power/pipe lines
