The Los Angeles‑class fast‑attack submarine USS Tucson pulled into Naval Base Guam on July 10, 2026, officially shifting its homeport as the U.S. Navy continues to position more undersea assets in the Western Pacific. The arrival adds another attack submarine to Guam’s forward‑deployed fleet, underscoring the island’s role as a key undersea hub for U.S. operations in the region. Sailors from the submarine stood topside as the vessel came alongside and was guided into its berth by a tug during the homeport change ceremony and mooring operations.
Sailors from the Los Angeles‑class fast‑attack submarine USS Tucson stand topside and alongside a tug as the submarine arrives and moors at Naval Base Guam during the July 10, 2026 homeport shift.
Commanding Officer Cmdr. Vince Bove expressed pride in the crew’s arrival and in joining the forward‑deployed team on Guam. "The entire crew is honored and excited to arrive in Guam," he said, noting that Tucson brings what he described as "an exceptional crew of Sailors who represent the very best of our submarine force." He added that the boat’s mission will be to strengthen warfighting readiness and support U.S. strategic objectives across the region, and that the crew looks forward to integrating into the Guam community that supports their operations.
The arrival of Tucson follows the 2024 deployment of USS Minnesota, the first Virginia‑class fast‑attack submarine to be forward‑deployed to Guam, and comes after USS Jefferson City moved from Guam to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. These shifts reflect a broader adjustment of submarine basing across the Pacific as the Navy rebalances where it places undersea capabilities. Families and friends were on the pier to greet sailors during Tucson’s arrival, a visible reminder of the personal and community dimensions that accompany changes in homeport assignments.
A crew member from USS Tucson embraces family on the pier during the submarine’s arrival at Naval Base Guam, capturing the personal side of the forward‑deployed homeport change.
Officials described the redeployment of submarines to Guam as part of the Navy’s Strategic Laydown Plan, which seeks to position its most capable forces forward while balancing operational readiness with maintenance schedules, modernization and longer‑term force planning. Forward‑deployed submarines, the Navy said, provide combatant commanders with responsive, mission‑ready platforms capable of supporting maritime security, deterrence and regional stability throughout the Western Pacific. The positioning of attack submarines on Guam is presented as a measure to enhance the Navy’s ability to operate quickly in the Indo‑Pacific theatre.
Capt. Christopher Carter, commander of Submarine Squadron 15, extended a formal welcome to Tucson’s sailors and families, using the island’s greeting to mark the transition. "I would like to extend a warm welcome and Hafa Adai to the Sailors and families of Tucson," he said. Carter highlighted Naval Base Guam’s role as a strategic outpost in the Western Pacific, stating that the base contributes to maintaining regional stability and deterrence. He described Tucson as bringing a legacy of "strength, resilience, and warfighting excellence" to the forward‑deployed undersea force and said the submarine’s presence will strengthen posture and enhance deterrence at a time when forward presence and readiness are priorities for commanders in the region.
USS Tucson has a long history in the fleet. Commissioned on September 19, 1995, she is the 59th Los Angeles‑class attack submarine and the 20th built to the 688 Improved configuration. The vessel is the second U.S. Navy ship to carry the name of Tucson, Arizona. With the new homeport assignment, Tucson now joins the Navy’s forward‑deployed submarine contingent at Naval Base Guam and will operate alongside other attack submarines tasked with missions ranging from intelligence collection and maritime security to deterrence operations.
The Navy has frequently characterized Guam‑based fast‑attack submarines as serving "at the tip of the spear," identifying them as central elements in efforts to support a free and open Indo‑Pacific. Submarines were also described by officials as the "apex predators of the sea" within the forward‑deployed undersea force, language intended to underline both their stealth and combat capabilities. With Tucson now stationed on Guam, the Navy’s configuration of forward‑deployed undersea assets reflects ongoing efforts to match operational demands in the Western Pacific with a basing posture meant to keep highly capable platforms within reach of regional commanders.
Tucson’s arrival completes another chapter in a sequence of submarine movements to and from Guam that the Navy says is guided by the need to maintain operational readiness while managing maintenance cycles and modernization efforts. As the submarine settles into its new berth and the crew begins work from their forward homeport, Navy leaders emphasize the operational value of having mission‑ready attack submarines forward‑deployed to respond to contingencies and support broader maritime security objectives across the region.
The submarine is officially USS Tucson (SSN‑770), and prior to the homeport shift she had been based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam in Hawaii.
Tucson has been assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, the submarine operations facility on Naval Base Guam.
Navy reporting notes Tucson joins three fast‑attack submarines already forward‑deployed to Guam, bringing the island’s contingent of attack submarines to four.
The Navy has been investing in Polaris Point maintenance infrastructure to support an expanded forward presence, including an October 2022 award for a $16.9 million contract to build a submarine repair pier at Polaris Point that was scheduled for completion in September 2024.