The U.S. military’s efforts to strengthen its presence in Guam gained a significant boost with the arrival of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Minnesota (SSN-783). The submarine became the first Virginia-class submarine to be deployed forward to Guam. Billed as part of the Navy’s “strategic laydown plan for naval forces in the Indo-Pacific region,” Minnesota will fall under the command of Submarine Squadron 15, which is also comprised of the Los Angeles-class submarines USS Annapolis, USS Asheville, USS Jefferson City and USS Springfield.Local media outlets in Guam have hailed the submarine’s arrival as “a historic moment,”US Navy said in a statement:The security environment in the Indo-Pacific requires that the U.S. Navy station the most capable units forward. This posture allows flexibility for maritime and joint force operations, with forward-deployed units ready to rapidly respond to deter aggression and promote a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.In this video, Defense Updates analyzes why USS Minnesota’s deployment to Guam is a critical move ?#defenseupdates #usvschina #guam Chapters:00:11 INTRODUCTION02:17 IMPORTANCE OF GUAM03:25 USS MINNESOTA06:25 ANALYSIS