Are Russian Submarines Tampering With Undersea Cables?

National Interest: Could Russian Submarines Be Tampering With Undersea Cables?

The ability of an American user to access a website in Europe or vice versa largely depends upon a network of several hundred distinct armored, fiber-optic Submarine Communication Cables that run across around six hundred thousand miles of ocean floor.

Here's What You Need to Remember: The U.S. has begun responding to the threat, with 2018 defense budget authorizing construction of a second cable-laying/repair ship costing $250 million to supplement the only one currently in U.S. military service, the USS Zeus. Sanctions imposed on Russia in June 2018 have targeted a Russian mini-submarine builder associated with cable-tampering operations.

In 2018 reports have multiplied in the United States and Europe that Russian has intensified its submarine activity around the undersea cables which are essential for the global operation of the internet.

Yes, you heard that right—the ability of an American user to access a website in Europe or vice versa largely depends upon a network of several hundred distinct armored, fiber-optic Submarine Communication Cables that run across around six hundred thousand miles of ocean floor—and Moscow is dispatching mini submarines apparently to tamper with them.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: There are many redundancies in the world's fiber cable network. To be successful to cut-off all communications Russia (or anyone else) will need to conduct a massive attack at the same time. I do not think any country has that capability right now. As to tapping into and monitoring communications ... now that is another story.

The world's cable network map can be seen here (link here).