The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has made a critical decision to enhance maritime security and operational capabilities in the increasingly strategic Arctic region. The full-scale production of a new polar security cutter for the U.S. Coast Guard has been approved, a sign of the administration’s determination to counter growing competition in the Arctic and strengthen its presence in the region.
First Heavy Polar Icebreaker in Half a Century
The new vessel, the first heavy polar icebreaker to be built in the United States in nearly five decades, will be built by the long-standing American shipbuilder Bollinger Shipyard. Bollinger Shipyard President and CEO Ben Bordelon called the milestone “a historic achievement, not only for Bollinger Shipyards, but also for American shipbuilding.” Bordelon emphasized that the green light for full production is a testament to the deep confidence the U.S. government has in Bollinger to deliver the country’s first heavy polar icebreaker in nearly five decades.
Current Icebreaker Fleet Status and New Reinforcements
The U.S. Coast Guard’s current polar icebreaker fleet is quite limited. Currently, only one heavy polar icebreaker, USCGC Polar Star, and one medium polar icebreaker, USCGC Healy, are operational. However, the condition of these ships is concerning. USCGC Healy was rendered unusable after an electrical fire in July of last year, while USCGC Polar Star is nearing the end of a half-century of service. In order to address this shortfall in existing icebreakers, the Coast Guard purchased a commercially available lightweight polar icebreaker, named USCGC Storis, in December and added it to its fleet. It is the first new addition to the service’s fleet in 25 years.
Increasing Foreign Activities in the Arctic and Strategic Priority
The approval for the construction of the heavy polar icebreaker comes after the US military has recently observed increased foreign naval activity in the Arctic, including a joint Sino-Russian air patrol off Alaska last summer. Such developments clearly illustrate the strategic importance of the Arctic and the increasing competition in the region. President Donald Trump’s April 9 executive order calling for a new strategy to improve maritime security in the Arctic confirms these concerns and the administration’s commitment to the region.
Coast Guard Fleet Renewal and Expansion Plans
Resources to increase Coast Guard ship production are a key part of a compromise bill currently being considered by Congress. The bill would provide more than $9 billion for Coast Guard ship production, USNI News reported. The massive budget could enable the construction of up to 30 new cutters of varying sizes and operational capabilities. The planned new vessels include three or more Arctic security cutters, two polar security cutters (including the newly approved heavy icebreaker), eight heritage-class offshore patrol cutters and up to 15 fast-intervention cutters. The legislation also includes significant provisions to increase the Coast Guard’s aviation capacity and to fund and maintain fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.
Comprehensive Restructuring with “Force Design 2028”
The new ship purchases are just one part of the sweeping changes being implemented at the U.S. Coast Guard. The service is embarking on a radical restructuring process under the recently announced “Force Design 2028” initiative. “We are making transformational changes to renew the Coast Guard,” Interim Commandant Kevin Lunday said in a statement. As part of this restructuring effort, organizational changes such as adding a Coast Guard service secretary are also on the agenda. This step has been previously proposed in legislation. All of these developments demonstrate that the U.S. is taking decisive steps to counter the increasing strategic competition in the Arctic and strengthen maritime security. The approval of the new polar icebreaker stands out as a significant milestone in this grand plan.
