The United States continues to increase its naval power in the Western Pacific Ocean
US: One of the United States cruise missile submarines recently surfaced at a vital outpost in the Western Pacific Ocean, further bolstering the country’s naval might.
USS Michigan, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, visited Naval Base Guam on November 2, according to images released by the U.S. Navy on November 28. In addition to housing Air Force and Marine Corps stations, Guam is the westernmost U.S. territory. Although the Michigan is not one of them and was only visiting the island, it does have five fast-attack submarines.
Armed with up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles capable of hitting targets 1,000 miles distant, the 18,750-ton Michigan “is conducting routine operations in the U.S. Seventh Fleet area of operation,” according to a caption for one of the images from the U.S. Navy.
The fleet’s operations span a wide region, from the Russian Kuril Islands in the north to Antarctica in the south, and from the International Date Line west of the Hawaiian Islands to the South Asian boundary between India and Pakistan.
The tour coincided with China’s naval efforts in the Western Pacific Ocean and the growth of its fleet, which now stands as the biggest in the world with over 370 ships and submarines.
A Chinese aircraft carrier came within 559 miles of Guam in late September. One of the tiers of a U.S. defense strategy intended to restrain the Chinese military during times of conflict, the island is a component of the second island chain.
Guam is well situated for the U.S. military to project power since it is 1,500–1,700 miles from the East and South China Seas, as well as the disputed waters of Taiwan.
The USS Minnesota, an advanced Virginia-class submarine, arrived last week, adding to the fleet of four older-generation Los Angeles-class submarines at the U.S. military station, increasing the number of Guam-based fast-attack submarines by one to five.
Originally, the Michigan was intended to serve as an underwater platform for the launch of ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear weapons. It was upgraded to be conventionally equipped with cruise missiles in the early 2000s, along with three sister ships: the USS Ohio, USS Florida, and USS Georgia.
The four guided-missile submarines can accommodate up to 66 men for special operation missions in addition to being outfitted with land-attack weaponry. They may also act as covert little command centers because of their improved communication capabilities.
The U.S. Navy said that the Michigan and her sister vessels “offer the Navy unparalleled strike and special operation mission capabilities from a stealth, clandestine platform.”
The Florida stopped at Guam in early July and restocked its cruise missiles. After a 727-day global deployment that included attacks against Houthi rebels in Yemen, it returned to its home port in Georgia at the end of the month.
Since late January, the Michigan, which is based at Naval Base Kitsap in the state of Washington, has made two trips to the island.
