US sends nuclear-powered attack submarine to Navy base near China in a first

US SUBMARINE DEPLOYMENT IN GUAM: STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE
USS Minnesota (SSN 783), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine, deployed to Naval Base Guam
First Virginia-class submarine stationed in Guam
Commissioned in 2013, part of US Navy's Indo-Pacific strategic positioning
SUBMARINE CAPABILITIES
Crew of 140 sailors
Multi-mission capabilities:
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-surface ship warfare
Strike warfare
Intelligence and reconnaissance
377 feet long, 7,800-ton displacement
Top submerged speed: 32 mph
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
Guam located 1,800 miles from China's east coast
Key strategic point for potential conflict
Enhances US Navy's rapid response and deterrence capabilities
Part of US strategy to maintain undersea supremacy
CONTEXT
Deployment part of US-China regional power dynamics
Aims to strengthen presence in Indo-Pacific
Provides flexibility for potential Taiwan or South China Sea scenarios
The deployment underscores the US military's strategic positioning in the Pacific region.