Fast-attack submarine completes first deployment since shifting its homeport to Guam

A Virginia-class fast-attack submarine returned to its homeport at Naval Base Guam on Wednesday marking the completion of its first deployment from the island.

The USS Minnesota, commissioned in 2013, was assigned to Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, Guam, in November 2024 amid concern over China’s rapid military buildup and threats to American allies in the region.

“Minnesota’s return marks a significant milestone for the Pacific Submarine Force and demonstrates the Navy’s ability to sustain and employ advanced Virginia-class capabilities in the Pacific,” Capt. Christopher Carter, the squadron’s commander, said in a Navy news release Thursday.

The submarine made port calls at White Beach Naval Facility on Okinawa in May and Sasebo Naval Base in June and joined the multinational Valiant Shield exercise in and around Guam later that month.

The Navy didn’t reveal when the Minnesota’s deployment started and the squadron didn’t immediately respond to emailed questions and a request for an interview on Friday.

A sailor assigned to Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Minnesota reunites with a loved one after returning to Naval Base, Guam, July 29, 2026. (Bryan Mai/U.S. Navy)

“The crew performed superbly while executing missions vital to the defense of the homeland and strengthening our alliances and partnerships,” Cmdr. Jeffrey Cornielle, the Minnesota’s skipper, said in the release. “The experience they gained operating throughout the Western Pacific will shape Minnesota’s continued success for years to come.”

During the deployment, two officers and 20 enlisted sailors earned their submarine warfare insignia, commonly known as “dolphins” or “fish,” according to the release. The insignia signifies qualification to operate at the highest standards of the undersea force and reflects mastery of submarine systems, watch stations and mission execution.

The homecoming included the Navy’s traditional first kiss and first hug, awarded to Petty Officer 2nd Class Jose Salazar and Petty Officer 1st Class Jaccor Blakley, the news release said.

Before the deployment, Minnesota visited HMAS Stirling in Western Australia in February 2025 and made a port call the following month in Darwin, Australia.

A sailor assigned to Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Minnesota reunites with a loved one after returning to Naval Base, Guam, July 29, 2026. (Bryan Mai/U.S. Navy)

That visit coincided with the movement of a Chinese naval flotilla in waters off Southern Australia.

Australia is developing the capability to service U.S. and British nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines under the AUKUS defense pact, an agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The 2021 pact aims to establish Submarine Rotational Force-West at Stirling, with one British and four U.S. submarines stationed there on a temporary basis as early as next year.

As part of its buildup for Submarine Rotational Force-West, the Navy on May 30 established Naval Support Activity Stirling at HMAS Stirling. Days later, the Navy reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 to support planned sub rotations in Western Australia.

The Pentagon, in its annual analysis of Chinese military power, reported in December that China’s navy has 60 submarines, with six attack submarines and six missile submarines powered by nuclear reactors.