Description: The American Virginia class attack submarine USS Minnesota has emerged on the Western Australian coast as part of bolstering the AUKUS (Australia, UK, United States) security cooperation partnership. By the end of the year, US Navy presence is expected to significantly rise in the region as Australia’s plan to develop nuclear powered submarines in cooperation with the UK and the US moves forward. The deployment of the attack submarine comes as a response to the growing Chinese naval presence in the region where just recently the Chinese Navy conducted a live – fire drill that caused stoppage of air traffic in the region. The submarine would also support Taiwan’s defensive capabilities which are constantly directly or indirectly threatened by China.
Impact: The US deployment of significant military assets such as the USS Minnesota in the region highlights American repositioning and establishment of a different geopolitical priority in the future. Recent strategic divisions between key US allies such as the EU, Canada, Mexico, South Korea caused by Trump’s tariff policies saw the US pivot towards more strategically sensitive regions at the time such as the Indo – Pacific. Constant warnings of growing Chinese hybrid influence also contributed towards the present strategic posturing, which is one of the US’ biggest adversaries both regionally and globally. Naval and military presence is expected to substantially rise in the short to mid – term as China and the US aim at establishing military dominance and reaffirming deterrent capabilities in one of the key global maritime trade focal points.