The U.S. Navy's Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the USS West Virginia, docked for the first time on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia a month ago.

(The picture is taken from the Facebook of the US Strategic Command)

[Compile Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report] "CNN" (CNN) reported on the 2nd that the US Navy's Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine "USS West Virginia" (USS West Virginia) was launched a month ago. moored at the remote island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The U.S. military only recently announced the rare deployment, an apparent attempt to signal to enemies and allies that the U.S. military has the ability to gather intelligence secretly.

CNN pointed out that the actions of submarines after they go to sea are usually highly confidential. Delaying the announcement of the itinerary can give the submarine time to sail to other locations in the Indian Ocean. Docking at the port of Diego Garcia Island is part of the extended mission of the ship.

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A U.S. military official familiar with the matter said that the significance of disclosing the ship's port stop in the Indian Ocean was to show potential enemies and allies that "they should understand that an unmonitorable ballistic missile submarine (by the U.S. military) can operate in any ocean for a long time. .”

Diego Garcia Island is located south of the equator and is a highly militarized island used by both the British and American armies; due to its remote location, the submarine equipped with nuclear bombs can carry out rotation operations of 150 crews without outsiders noticing, This in turn keeps the submarine's actions secret and allows the submarine to stay in the area for a longer period of time.

Although U.S. military officials refused to say that the disclosure of the "West Virginia" submarine's docking information was aimed at China, Russia, North Korea, or Mauritius, which claimed sovereignty over the island, they are collecting highly confidential signal information about the enemy, and The underwater stealth capability of U.S. submarines is crucial to exerting sea-based nuclear deterrence capabilities through intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) equipped with nuclear warheads.

The US Navy said the USS West Virginia is one of 14 Ohio-class submarines that can carry up to 20 intercontinental ballistic missiles, a class of submarines designed for extended patrol missions.

Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command Charles Richard (Charles Richard) said that every mission of the U.S. military is based on nuclear deterrence capabilities, and for the U.S. and its allies, ballistic missile submarines such as the USS West Virginia are important An important basis for exerting a credible nuclear deterrent.

U.S. Strategic Command Facebook: