Six Icebreakers Key To USCG Success, Report Says

The U.S. Coast Guard needs six operational icebreakers to meet ongoing challenges at the poles, particularly with Russia and China seeking to increase their influence, according to an April 9 report from The Heritage Foundation by James Di Pane.

Currently, the Coast Guard fields just two icebreakers—Polar Star (heavy) and Healy (medium). A third heavy icebreaker is out of commission and used for spare parts for the Polar Star.

“The current icebreaker fleet is incapable of effectively meeting current mission requirements,” the report said. “From 2010 to 2016, the U.S. only fulfilled 78 percent of icebreaking requests.”

This is at a time when rival nations are scrambling to obtain natural resources in these remote, frozen points on the globe, which contain undiscovered oil (13 percent) and natural gas (30 percent) resources.

“Russia has made aggressive claims to natural resources under the icecap, arguing that its continental shelf extends far beyond its recognized territorial limits, and has invested heavily in military assets capable of operating in the Arctic,” the report said. “China is increasing its presence in both polar regions as well, sailing its icebreaker through the Arctic recently and constructing a second icebreaker.”

Though the Coast Guard’s official requirement is that it have three medium and three heavy icebreakers, the report noted that Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft would prefer six heavy craft to meet today’s mission requirements.

The report recommends three approaches to improve the lot of the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet. These include fully funding the 2019 budget request totaling $750 million for the Coast Guard; using a “block buy” strategy for the first three heavy craft, which could save $200 million; and determining the number of heavy vs. medium craft necessary.

“Icebreakers are crucial for meeting the separate challenges of operations in the Arctic and Antarctic,” the report concluded. “The Coast Guard has made progress on this program recently, and the proposed new ships will have better capabilities for security America’s interests for the next several decades.”