The Pentagon reported that South Korean and Japanese submarine group commanders paid a visit to a US Ohio-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine in April, accompanied by Rear Admiral Rick Seif. It is the first time that senior submarine group commanders from the three nations have toured a nuclear ballistic missile submersible together. The meeting took place on the USS Maine, one of 16 Ohio-class strategic nuclear-powered submarines, near the island of Guam.
It is not known if the USS Maine is the same ship that went to the Korean peninsula, but the decision to use it came after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called for the United States to deploy more nuclear assets and strategies to discourage North Korea from conducting missile tests. Chinese analysts see its use as a strategy to contain China and Russia rather than being directed at North Korea.
Chinese naval expert Li Jie said the United States is using North Korea as an “excuse” to deploy a ballistic missile submarine in the area. In addition, some analysts believe that the use and visit by allied commanders of the US submarine could send a positive message to US allies.