island base

This tiny, tropical Indian Ocean island base, jointly operated by the UK and US and now leased from nearby Mauritius, has a strategic significance out of all proportion to its size.

Earlier, a huge Chinese navy ship shadowed the two Philippine patrol vessels in the dark of night as they cruised near Subi, one of seven barren reefs China has transformed in the last decade into a missile-protected island base.

The broken boat was towed to the Terminal Island base by the Coast Guard’s Cutter Blackfin.

The Navy studied the increasingly contentious Whidbey Island base, as well as a base in California.

In 2020, KQ-200 anti-submarine warfare aircraft also were deployed on a third island base on Fiery Cross Reef.