Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's Under Secretary of War for Policy, has highlighted the sinking of an Iranian warship by the submarine USS Charlotte as a powerful demonstration of American naval superiority. The attack in the Indian Ocean, which Colby confirmed happened the night before his March 4 appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations, marked the first time a US submarine had sunk an enemy vessel by torpedo since World War II.
As reported by "Hvylya", Colby invoked the historic strike during a detailed policy address at the CFR while discussing US military readiness in the Indo-Pacific. "As we demonstrated - the USS Charlotte last night - it's the first sinking of an enemy vessel by torpedo by a submarine since World War II," Colby told the audience. "We have a military of unparalleled prowess, and everybody really does know that."
The strike carries significance far beyond the Iran campaign. Colby placed it in the context of deterrence along the first island chain in the Western Pacific - the US military's primary defensive perimeter against potential Chinese aggression. The National Defense Strategy, which Colby authored, identifies this maritime theater as one where the ability to "project and sustain power" is critical. The Charlotte's torpedo strike serves as a real-world proof point that American submarines can deliver decisive results in exactly the kind of sea-denial operations that would define any future Pacific conflict.
Colby connected the submarine's achievement to the broader theme of allied capability-building. He described the Indo-Pacific defense perimeter as "well grooved politically" and stressed that allies like Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and New Zealand all contribute to a network that makes maritime defense viable. "Allies and partners are not just a kind of symbolic shibboleth with a little flag," he said.
The message was directed at both allies and potential adversaries. Colby said the evidence demonstrates that "we can see" US military prowess in action, and urged that "nobody should have the impression that we're somehow behind the curve." He added that the administration is focused on "delivering real combat-capable, combat-credible forces in the right place at the right time and less on grand rhetorical flourishes."
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