{
  "id": 172848,
  "title": "PLA scientists say submarine cables carrying 99% of global data could be ‘easy target’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/pla-scientists-say-submarine-cables-carrying-99-of-global-data-could",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-05T10:30:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3363019/pla-scientists-say-submarine-cables-carrying-99-global-data-could-be-easy-target"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chinese military researchers have warned that the submarine cables carrying 99% of global data are at risk of being targeted by low-cost drones. These cables, which form the backbone of the international digital economy, have long been considered a \"strategic blind spot\" due to the challenges of exploring and controlling the seabed. However, the researchers argue that the recent establishment of the Aukus pact between Australia, Britain, and the United States has lowered the barrier to entry for undersea warfare. This development is attributed to the increasing affordability and ease of deployment of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs), which pose no risk to personnel. The researchers highlight the vulnerability of underwater cables, citing incidents such as the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines and the disruption of internet services after cables in the Red Sea were cut last year. While state-sponsored sabotage remains a concern, accidental damage is considered the primary cause of submarine cable disruptions. The researchers note that the Aukus alliance's focus on developing UUVs for protecting underwater infrastructure and gathering intelligence could pave the way for future cross-domain joint operations. They predict that these autonomous combat drones, powered by advanced AI, could patrol cable infrastructure, carry out searches, or even launch ambushes, forming \"undersea wolf packs\" with other UUVs, surface vessels, and aerial drones.",
  "summary": "The underwater cables that play a vital role supporting the international digital economy are increasingly vulnerable to attack from low-cost drones, Chinese military researchers have warned. They said the seabed had long been viewed as a strategic “blind spot” due to the difficulty of exploration and the high cost of controlling it, but was becoming a “new arena for great power rivalry”. “The…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "title": "PLA scientists say submarine cables carrying 99% of global data could be ‘easy target’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/pla-scientists-say-submarine-cables-carrying-99-of-global-data-could-173086",
        "published": "2026-08-05T10:30:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}