Pacific Ocean, US submarines patrol with an eye fixed firmly on China

The US Navy is stepping up preparations to deter a potential conflict with China in the Pacific Ocean, where over 60% of its operational submarines are located. The role of these fast-attack submarines is to counter China’s rapid military expansion and territorial claims in the Western Pacific and South China Sea. The vessels are hard to spot, hard to destroy, and able to travel vast distances. Although China has been massively expanding its navy, the US still retains an advantage in undersea warfare with its unchallenged superiority over China in submarines.