U.S.–Australia Defense Cooperation

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Navy plans to forward‑deploy up to four nuclear‑powered attack submarines to Australia’s HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia, with the first boat scheduled to arrive in 2027. The base would give American Virginia‑class submarines a staging point much closer to any potential conflict over Taiwan and serve as a safe haven for repairs or resupply if they are damaged. Canberra is investing billions of dollars in expanding Stirling and a nearby maintenance precinct under the broader AUKUS defense pact, deepening long‑term U.S.–Australian military integration aimed at deterring China. For U.S. readers, the move reflects a strategic bet that undersea power and dispersed basing will be central if Washington ever has to fight to keep sea lanes open in the Western Pacific.