Exmouth Submarine Base, called Operation Potshot, was a United States Navy base at Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia during World War II. Exmouth Gulf on western Australia was selected as the site for US Naval base as it was thought at the time to be out of the reach of Empire of Japan's long-range bombers. Bombing of Darwin on February 19, 1942, demonstrated a more southern port was needed. The Submarine operation at Exmouth Gulf and the North West Cape was called Operation Potshot, named after the Potshot airfield that provided fighter plane cover for the base.