On the 14th of April, the U.S. Navy confirmed that the nuclear-powered submarine USS Minnesota completed its first deployment in the Indo-Pacific since arriving at the strategic Naval Base Guam, thereby reinforcing the force’s presence in the region amid ongoing tensions with China. During the deployment, the Virginia-class submarine took part in various activities alongside elements of the Royal Australian Navy, notably Exercise Lungfish and the Submarine Command Course, as well as a visit to HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
Captain Neil Steinhagen, current commander of Submarine Squadron 15, commented: “This first operational mission following Minnesota’s recent homeport shift demonstrated the submarine’s operational readiness and the capabilities the Virginia-class brings to the Indo-Pacific region. Its performance clearly reflects the high standards and strategic impact expected of our forward-deployed assets. Minnesota has shown it is ready to maintain the sustained operational tempo of our Pacific Submarine Force.”
It is worth recalling that the USS Minnesota is the tenth Virginia-class submarine to enter active service in the U.S. Navy, which occurred on September 7, 2013. Even though, it is the first of its class to be deployed to Naval Base Guam since this past November. Previously, the Navy maintained a total of four Los Angeles-class submarines in the area, namely the USS Asheville (SSN-758), USS Jefferson City (SSN-759), USS Annapolis (SSN-760), and USS Springfield (SSN-761), all supported by the auxiliary ships USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) and USS Frank Cable (AS-40).
Furthermore, regarding the USS Minnesota’s deployment to Australian waters, it is notable that this took place nearly simultaneously with live-fire drills conducted nearby by China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), one of many signs of ongoing regional tensions. In direct connection to this, it is interesting to note that part of the submarine’s activities included hosting visits by local officials and technical personnel, as well as joint work with Royal Australian Navy personnel who may become future operators of similar platforms, considering the cooperation between both countries under the AUKUS alliance—one of the main U.S. mechanisms for countering the Asian giant.
As stated by Commander Jeffrey Cornielle, current commanding officer of the USS Minnesota: “Working side by side with our Australian counterparts helped us hone our undersea warfighting skills. This type of tactical development is vital, not only for increasing our own readiness but also for enhancing interoperability with allied warfighters deployed shoulder to shoulder in support of a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
*Image credits: Lieutenant James Calliva
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