Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Modernization: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

Abstract

Coast Guard polar icebreakers perform a variety of missions supporting U.S. interests in polar regions. The Coast Guard's two heavy polar icebreakers-Polar Star and Polar Sea-have exceeded their intended 30-year service lives. The Polar Star is not operational and has been in caretaker status since July 1, 2006. Congress in FY2009 and FY2010 provided funding to repair Polar Star and return it to service for 7 to 10 years; the Coast Guard expects the reactivation project to be completed in 2013. On June 25, 2010, the Coast Guard announced that Polar Sea had suffered an unexpected engine casualty and consequently will likely be unavailable for operation until at least January 2011. The United States, which has various interests in the polar regions, currently has no operational heavy polar icebreakers.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 02, 2010
Accession Number
ADA524027

Entities

People

  • Ronald O'Rourke

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Climate Change
  • Coast Guard
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Congress
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Environmental Protection
  • Federal Budgets
  • Governments
  • High Latitudes
  • Homeland Security
  • Littoral Combat Ships
  • Marine Transportation
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Polar Regions
  • Scientists
  • United States

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security