The U.S. Navy submarine USS Colorado has arrived at the Australian naval base HMAS Stirling in Western Australia for scheduled maintenance lasting approximately one month. The visit is part of the regular cycle of maintaining the readiness of the U.S. submarine fleet. This is the fourth instance of maintenance for American submarines at the Western Australian base since the establishment of the trilateral defense partnership AUKUS, which unites Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The agreement, concluded in 2021, provides for, among other things, the expansion of military cooperation and strengthening of allied forces' presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Regular visits by American submarines to HMAS Stirling are viewed as part of the long-term AUKUS strategy to prepare infrastructure for the future deployment of nuclear-powered submarines in Australia. It is expected that under the partnership, Australia will eventually acquire its own fleet of nuclear submarines with support from the United States and the United Kingdom. Military command did not provide details about the nature of the repair work being conducted on USS Colorado, noting only that it is routine maintenance in accordance with the standard maintenance schedule for Virginia-class submarines.