The U.S. has sent the nuclear submarine USS West Virginia, which can carry 20 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads, to Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean

U.S. nuclear submarines have been touring the Eastern Hemisphere this fall.

Here's What We Know

We wrote about the Ohio-class USS Michigan making a stop off the Japanese island of Okinawa in mid-November. This submarine is capable of carrying 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Two weeks later, the Virginia-class USS Mississippi arrived in Australia, also capable of launching Tomahawk.

Now it is known that in October, the U.S. Navy sent the submarine USS West Virginia to its base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean. This is one of 14 Ohio-class submarines. It can carry up to 20 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads and MK-48 torpedoes.

The submarine visited the Indian Ocean base on Oct. 25, where it remained until Oct. 31. However, U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) did not disclose this until now, in a Nov. 28 press release.

The strategic missile submarine cruiser made the stop as part of an extended deterrence patrol to ensure the security and stability of allies. U.S. Strategic Command says this underscores the unparalleled capability of ballistic missile submarines to deter and, if necessary, respond from anywhere in the world.

Source: STRATCOM