The United States redeployed a second nuclear-powered submarine—capable of launching long-range Tomahawk missiles—from the East Coast to Hawaii this month, as it moves to position its most-capable units in the Indo-Pacific in response to China’s naval buildup.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
China has expanded its military presence—particularly its navy—across the Western Pacific in recent years, raising alarms among the U.S. and its regional allies. It has also built up a large missile arsenal capable of striking Japan, including U.S. military bases located there.
Japan—a key element of the U.S. island chain strategy to contain China in the Western Pacific—has been bolstering its defenses against potential Chinese aggression by upgrading its ship-killing weapons and acquiring advanced warships capable of intercepting missiles.
What To Know
In response to China’s growing military threat, the Pentagon has bolstered its force posture in the Western Pacific. This includes the deployment of an aircraft carrier equipped with stealth fighter jets and a land-based missile system capable of conducting long-range strikes.
Some of America’s nuclear-powered, conventionally armed fast-attack submarines serve with the Pacific Fleet and are stationed in Washington, California, Hawaii, and Guam—the latter, the closest to China and a key military hub, has hosted five submarines since last November.
The submarine USS Indiana reached its new home port, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, on Tuesday after departing its previous base in Groton, Connecticut. It now serves as the third Virginia-class fast-attack submarine assigned to the Submarine Squadron 7.
The Pearl Harbor-based submarine squadron now provides “training, material, and personnel readiness support” to a total of seven fast-attack submarines—three Virginia-class and four Los Angeles-class—according to a press release from the U.S. Pacific Submarine Force.
Prior to the arrival of the Indiana, the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Toledo completed a change of home port on July 12, arriving in Hawaii. This made the former Connecticut-based vessel the fourth Los Angeles-class submarine assigned to the Submarine Squadron 7.
In addition to the Virginia-class and the Los Angeles-class, the U.S. Navy operates three fast-attack submarines of the Seawolf-class, which are based in Bremerton and Bangor, Washington.
Commissioned in 2018, the Indiana is the 16th Virginia-class submarine. Unlike some of its older sister ships, it features two large payload tubes—each capable of firing six Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of 1,000 miles—in place of 12 individual vertical launch tubes.
The submarine concluded its last overseas mission on March 27, returning from a six-month deployment in the U.S. European Command’s area of responsibility—which includes all of Europe, Turkey, Russia, and the South Caucasus—a map provided by the command shows.
The U.S. Navy says fast-attack submarines are tasked with seeking and destroying enemy naval vessels, projecting power from sea to shore using missiles and special operations forces, and conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Chris Cavanaugh, commander of the Pacific Submarine Force, said in a press release on Tuesday: “Over the past 10 months, Indiana‘s crew has expertly navigated the challenges of an operational deployment and a homeport shift … I’m excited for Indiana to join the Pacific Submarine Force and to bolster our submarine presence to maintain a secure and prosperous, free, and open Indo-Pacific.”
U.S. Navy Commander Kyle Johnson, commanding officer of USS Indiana, said in a press release on Tuesday: “We look forward to working with Submarine Squadron 7 and our Pearl Harbor partners to prepare Indiana—the ‘Battle Bass’—for any tasking, at any time, in defense of our nation.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Navy will deploy additional ships and submarines to the Pacific—particularly to Hawaii, Guam, and its forward-deployed fleet in Japan.
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