Beneath the waters off the Western Australian coast, sonar operators aboard a U.S. Navy Virginia-class submarine are adjusting to a new environment. The quiet hum of advanced sonar systems is accompanied by the chatter of dolphins as the submarine navigates unfamiliar territory.

On a training exercise from its home port in Guam, 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.