Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

As part of its strategy to counter China, the Pentagon plans to deploy four nuclear submarines to Stirling Base in western Australia, AzerNEWS reports.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the first submarine is expected to arrive at the base in 2027.

It is worth noting that the fourth-generation Virginia-class submarine USS Vermont was stationed at Stirling Base for about four weeks at the end of last year. During this period, American and Australian military personnel conducted various maintenance and readiness exercises on the vessel.

The Australian government has already allocated $8.4 billion to establish a submarine repair and maintenance shipyard in Henderson, near Perth. This facility will allow the US Navy to operate more efficiently near potential conflict zones, including the South China Sea.

The report also notes that the Washington administration is committed to a strategy of further strengthening the AUKUS trilateral military alliance, which includes Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The AUKUS pact was announced in 2021 under the administration of then-President Joe Biden.

Beijing, for its part, has repeatedly criticized the initiative, stating that the real goal of the US strategy in the Pacific and Indian Oceans is to “contain China” and to create an Asia-Pacific version of NATO.

Military analysts point out that the deployment of nuclear submarines in Australia not only enhances deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific but also represents one of the first times the US has planned permanent forward-based nuclear assets so far from the continental United States, signaling a significant shift in global strategic posture.