The United States’ nuclear-powered submarine Louisville (SSN 724) made a port call at the Philippines’ northern port city Subic starting from Monday, the Philippine military announced.
The submarine will stay in Subic Bay until June 30 for replenishment, Philippine Navy spokesman Omar Tonsay told local media.
This was the second similar U.S. submarine visiting the Philippines in more than a month.
Tonsay downplayed the visit of the U.S. submarine, saying, “It is on a plain replenishment in the Philippines.”
A statement from the U.S. embassy said USS Louisville is in the Philippines “for a routine port call that highlights the strong historic, community, and military connections between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines.”
USS Louisville, a Los Angeles-class submarine, is a nuclear- powered fast attack submarine. It was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Louisville, Kentucky. The Los Angeles-class forms the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s submarine force. The USS Louisville was commissioned on Nov. 8, 1986 at the Naval Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut.
Xinhua