An American nuclear submarine where one in 10 crew members is Australian has arrived at the Garden Island naval base for a month-long maintenance stopover, ahead of regular AUKUS rotations that begin in 2027.

China's surface navy is growing at a rapid pace as busy shipyards turn out new warships, but the US maintains an edge underwater with its submarines.

A display of confiscated vessels at a naval base in Ecuador offers a peek at why drug smuggling is so hard to stop.