As part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, Washington plans to deploy up to four nuclear-powered submarines at Stirling starting in 2027, providing a base near potential hot spots such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. The move also aims to enhance military integration with Pacific allies under the Australia-UK-US trilateral security partnership, the report said. Currently, US submarines operate from Guam, but the island could be targeted early in a conflict, limiting operational flexibility, it said. The USS Vermont (SSN-792), a US Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, arrives at the HMAS Stirling naval base in Perth, Australia, on Oct. 29 last year. While China could still target the base with missiles, its distance makes an attack more difficult, Green said.

Source: Taipei Times February 08, 2026 17:22 UTC