A United States nuclear-powered submarine was armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles while in Guam—a strategic hub in the western Pacific that can project military power against China.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Guam is America’s westernmost territory and is home to several U.S. military bases. The island is approximately 1,800 miles from the coast of China, making it a staging area for projecting U.S. military power—albeit within range of Chinese intermediate-range missiles.
The U.S. Navy has homeported five nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines at Naval Base Guam—one newer Virginia-class and four older Los Angeles-class—since last November, a move seen as a response to China’s growing naval presence in the broader western Pacific.
What To Know
In a set of photos released on Monday, U.S. Navy sailors are seen loading Tomahawk missiles onto the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Jefferson City on May 6 at Naval Base Guam. The submarine is assigned to the Submarine Squadron 15, based in Guam.
“Renowned for their unparalleled speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, fast-attack submarines serve as the backbone of the Navy’s submarine force, ensuring readiness and agility in safeguarding maritime interests around the world,” the Navy said.
Each Los Angeles-class submarine is equipped with 12 vertical launch tubes for firing Tomahawk missiles, according to the U.S. Navy. These missiles have a flight range of 1,000 miles and are capable of striking ground targets in “heavily defended airspace.”
During recent U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, over two dozen Tomahawk missiles were launched from a U.S. submarine, targeting two of the sites. These missiles were part of approximately 75 precision-guided weapons employed during the operation.
It remains unclear whether the missile-loading operation was part of the Jefferson City‘s preparation for deployment in the western Pacific. In 2023, the submarine completed what the U.S. Navy described as a “routine five-month deployment” in the Indo-Pacific region.
Other U.S. submarines have previously rearmed with Tomahawk cruise missiles while in Guam, including the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Florida, which conducted an expeditionary reload in July 2024. The submarine can carry up to 154 cruise missiles.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Submarine Squadron 15 said in a Facebook post on Tuesday: “Jefferson City exemplifies fleet readiness—operating forward-deployed at the tip of the spear and delivering agile, undersea power in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Living up to its motto, ‘When Any Exigence Calls,’ the crew continues to demonstrate precision, presence, and undersea dominance where it matters most.”
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command commented: “Tomahawk provides on-scene commanders with the flexibility to attack long-range fixed targets or support Special Operations Forces with a lethal, responsive, precision weapon system and as such has become the weapon of choice for the U.S. Department of Defense.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will further increase the number of submarines based in Guam for forward deployment in the western Pacific.
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