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Washington, D.C. – Today, the United States Coast Guard announced that for the first time since 1984, it will send a U.S. icebreaker, the USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10), north of the Arctic Circle for an 82-day deployment in the Bering and Chukchi Seas. This announcement demonstrates the strategic importance of the Coast Guard's Arctic mission following the loss of the USCGC Healy's operational capability on August 18, 2020, due to fire. With the Healy's loss, the USCG was left with only one operational icebreaker, which underscores the Polar Security Cutter Program's importance. 

Recognizing the need to bolster the Coast Guard's icebreaking capability, Alaska Congressman Don Young sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf, urging him to consider leasing a U.S. flagged icebreaking vessel to provide icebreaking assistance to the region until the USCGC Healy can be repaired and returned to service. Today's announcement by the Coast Guard provides a much-needed demonstration of the Coast Guard's commitment to the region, and highlights the importance of Congressman Young's continued focus on the Arctic. While not a final solution for the lack of American icebreaking capabilities, the Polar Star's mission to protect maritime sovereignty and security in the region fills a near-term critical gap in America's Arctic presence and national security posture.

“With more coastline than all of the states in the Union combined, Alaskans know firsthand how essential the Coast Guard’s mission is for protecting our waters, defending our borders, and frequently, serving as first responders to maritime emergencies,” said Congressman Don Young. “The United States is an Arctic nation because of Alaska, and icebreakers are essential not only for keeping our waters safe for mariners, but also for our broader national security needs. As a longtime advocate for Arctic domain awareness, I am acutely aware of the danger posed by the absence of the USCGC Healy. I am very pleased that the Coast Guard will be sending the USCGC Polar Star to our region to help ensure safety and security. We must continue working to bolster our icebreaker fleet. Given the significant amount of time required to construct a new Polar Security Cutter, I continue being an outspoken advocate for leasing and deploying any available U.S. flagged icebreakers to defend the Arctic. This is a commonsense, practical approach that I look forward to working on with our partners in the Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard. In the meantime, I want to thank the Coast Guard for dispatching the Polar Star to the Arctic, particularly as threats from Russia and China continue to grow.”

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