Comment - Visits by US nuclear submarines to Australia's main submarine base, HMAS Stirling, Fremantle, Western Australia, are beneficial to Australia. Here are two subs:
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The SSGN USS Ohio temporarily docked at Fremantle, Western Australia on January 1, 2010. Note the 2 pods behind the sail - mainly to house SEAL Delivery Vehicles. (Photo Courtesy Ian Johnson http://navysite.de/ssbn/ssgn726_1.jpg).
USS Ohio was the first of the US’s Trident (missile) class nuclear powered submarines. From November 2003, Ohio’s 24 Trident nuclear missiles were removed and 154 conventional Tomahawk cruise missiles were put in theirplace. Ohio rejoined the fleet in January 2006 having been redesignated a guided missile nuclear powered submarine (SSGN 726).
Ohio's positioning in the Indian Ocean makes it easier and quicker for her to launch Tomahawk missiles onto targets from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Ohio can also support operations of up to 66 Navy SEALS for up to 90 days.
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The SSN USS Houston at Fremantle, Western Australia, on September 4, 2005. (Photo Courtesy Ian Johnson, http://navysite.de/ssn/images/ssn713_9.jpg) USS Houston is the 26th submarine in the Los Angeles class of SSNs. In December 2004, Houston changed homeport from San Diego, Calif., to Apra Harbor, Guam. In January 2012, her homeport again changed from Guam to Pearl Harbor.
US SSNs in the Indo-Pacific region can protect US carrier groups, amphibious forces and shadow nuclear submarines or surface forces (such as the Russian cruiser Varyag).
Pete