Media: US to build $5.1 billion spy super submarine

Commissioned by the US Navy, the General Dynamics Electric Boat Shipyard has begun preliminary work on a super submarine capable of withstanding pressure at extreme depths.

The daily reports that this is one of several efforts by US officials to protect the country’s interests and increase security guarantees against threats posed by “war on the seabed” to underwater gas, oil and telecommunications cables.

“It’s not the satellites in the sky, but the pipelines on the sea floor that are the backbone of the global economy,” said Admiral James Stavridis, the former commander of NATO’s top allies in Europe.

More than 95 percent of the Internet’s data flows over about 200 undersea fiber optics. An attack on such infrastructure would cause “potentially catastrophic” damage to the United States and its allies, Stavritis added.

Both China and Russia are actively developing their ability to conduct military and intelligence operations at great depth. The new Russian submarine K-329 Belgorod can launch torpedoes with nuclear warheads capable of destroying an entire US port or an aircraft carrier battle group.

USA Today writes that Russia is also developing other vessels capable of carrying out subsea operations that can destroy underwater infrastructure, such as telecommunications cables, for example.

The task of ships capable of fighting at greater depths is to protect gas and oil wells and installations for the extraction of valuable metals and other resources.

According to a US Navy report to Congress, work is underway to develop underwater drones by 2025, including reconnaissance machines and unmanned aerial vehicles specialized in locating mines, as well as combat drones.

France also announced in 2022 that it is preparing to deploy drones, specialized submarines and high-tech underwater vehicles to patrol its waters “to protect its sovereignty, its resources and infrastructure,” USA Today reported.