Naval base "Stirling" in Western Australia will become a place to deploy American nuclear submarines in case the United States enters into armed conflict with China over Taiwan, and a safe haven "if things go wrong", reports The Wall Street Journal, calling the base "an insurance policy".
According to the newspaper, Washington plans to deploy up to four submarines to the base in the coming years, with the first scheduled to arrive in 2027. This is part of an agreement within the framework of the Pacific Alliance between Britain, Australia and the United States (AUKUS).
The American submarines are based on the island of Guam, but in the event of a conflict, China could launch a preemptive strike on the territory and disable military facilities, so the Australian base would be an advantage for the United States. It would also provide another location for on-site repairs relatively close to regional firing points.
“If you're in a conflict and your ships are damaged, you want to get back into the fight quickly,“ said Rear Admiral Lincoln Reifstak, commander of the U.S. submarine force, during a recent visit to the base.
In the event of a confrontation, U.S. submarines could also block important sea trade routes with China, the report notes.