US starts to build submarine presence on strategic Australian coast under AUKUSbr br On a training exercise from its home port in Guam on Sunday, March 16, USS Minnesota is a forerunner to four Virginia class submarines that will be hosted at a Western Australian naval base from 2027, under the AUKUS partnership to transfer nuclear submarine capability to Australia.br br Commanding officer Jeffrey Corneille says the Virginia class submarine is "the most advanced warship in the world."br br "If someone wakes up and they say 'Is today the day?', we make sure that they say 'Maybe not'," he says, describing its deterrent role.