US sends nuclear submarine to Pacific Fleet amid China threat

The United States redeployed a second nuclear-powered submarine—capable of launching long-range Tomahawk missiles—from the East Coast to Hawaii this month, as it moves to position its most-capable units in the Indo-Pacific in response to China's naval buildup.

Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email.

China has expanded its military presence—particularly its navy—across the Western Pacific in recent years, raising alarms among the U.S. and its regional allies. It has also built up a large missile arsenal capable of striking Japan, including U.S. military bases located there.

Japan—a key element of the U.S. island chain strategy to contain China in the Western Pacific—has been bolstering its defenses against potential Chinese aggression by upgrading its ship-killing weapons and acquiring advanced warships capable of intercepting missiles.