As part of a visit to the allied nation of the Philippines, the U.S. Navy deployed the nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine USS Ohio, of the homonymous class, to the South China Sea, seeking to strengthen the bond between Washington and Manila in the face of Chinese territorial claims that strain the regional scenario. This represents a significant deployment amid increasing activities by the People’s Liberation Army Navy in the Indo-Pacific, visible for example in the recent sea trials of the aircraft carrier CNS Fujian and the large unmanned submarines being developed by the institution.
Expanding on details regarding the presence of USS Ohio in the area, open-source intelligence (OSINT) reports detected the submarine in Subic Bay, geographically located on the eastern coast of Luzon Island. This is a key point for U.S. coastal defense strategies for its regional allies, as demonstrated with the deployment of NMESIS anti-ship missile systems by the Marine Corps during bilateral exercises, in which the so-called First and Second Island Chains are defined as part of the containment plan directed at China. The arrival at this area was later confirmed to local media by the U.S. Navy itself.
According to the official statement: “The submarine, homeported in the state of Washington, is conducting routine operations in the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s operational area, which covers the western Pacific and Indian Oceans, to help preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.” Almost simultaneously, the service released images of the nuclear submarine participating in exercises alongside the Marine Corps in the Philippine Sea earlier this month, aimed at providing commanders with flexible and rapid-response options. It remains unclear whether activities with Philippine units will also take place in the near future.
Previously, the Ohio-class submarine in question had been seen in the Australian region of Brisbane, with images published in July of this year. Further back, in April, the vessel had also been detected near Guam, suggesting a steady deployment contributing to Washington’s efforts to monitor the aforementioned Island Chains.
Recent Chinese naval activity in the region
It is important to note that the deployment of this U.S. nuclear submarine comes amid increasing Chinese activities in the region, making it possible to infer that beyond the aforementioned exercises, the USS Ohio deployment may also serve other potential purposes. Earlier this week, we reported on different images showing the Fujian aircraft carrier undergoing new sea trials, notable for clearly displaying launch and recovery maneuvers of different aircraft from its embarked air wing—revealing what is expected to be an upcoming entry into service in the near future.
In particular, publicly available videos showed the presence of the most modern J-35 stealth fighters, which will equip both the Navy and the Air Force of China, opening the door to confirmation of an initial production run that had been speculated for months, along with a limited induction of aircraft into service. In addition to these jets, the force also operated its carrier-based J-15T fighters, compatible with the electromagnetic catapult systems installed on the new carrier—capabilities not present on its two predecessors, the Shandong and Liaoning. The trials also featured the KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft, designed to serve as the “eyes” of the carrier strike group.
Beyond these trials, information recently published by U.S. defense analysts indicates that Beijing is conducting evaluations with unmanned submarines in waters near Hainan, part of the South China Sea. While these platforms have not been officially unveiled by China, reports suggest they are large units (estimated at around 40 meters in length), indicating an advanced stage of the program aimed at equipping the service with this type of capability—something also pursued by Western nations.
More specifically, it is reported that China is testing at least two prototypes currently operating out of Gangmen, located near the Sanya naval base, from where Chinese nuclear submarines have also operated. At this site, the presence of floating docks has been noted, enabling deployment and recovery away from main naval traffic routes and offering greater concealment from potential observers seeking to analyze their main characteristics in detail. So far, aside from the estimated length, satellite imagery shows these new unmanned submarines feature an X-shaped rudder and lack a traditional conning tower.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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