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Polar Security Cutter Program
The Polar Security Cutter Program is a program to recapitalize the United States Coast Guard's aging fleet of icebreakers, currently consisting of the heavy icebreaker USCGC ''Polar Star'' and the medium icebreaker USCGC ''Healy'', with three new multi-mission vessels referred to as Polar Security Cutters (PSC). These heavy polar icebreakers will allow the USCG to perform its statutory missions in the Arctic as well as support the United States Antarctic Program with Operation Deep Freeze. The PSC program is managed by the USCG and United States Navy through an integrated program office. On 23 April 2019, Halter Marine Inc was awarded the contract for the detail design and construction of the lead PSC. The contract option for the second PSC was exercised on 30 December 2021. The first vessel is expected to enter service in 2025 and will be named USCGC ''Polar Sentinel''. In the future, the PSCs will be followed by the acquisition of three medium icebreakers referred to as Arc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polar-class Icebreaker
Polar-class icebreakers , are heavy icebreakers operated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). These cutters, specifically designed for icebreaking, have reinforced hulls, special icebreaking bows, and a system that allows rapid shifting of ballast to increase the effectiveness of their icebreaking. The vessels conduct Arctic and Antarctic research and are the primary icebreakers that clear the channel into McMurdo Station for supply ships. All are homeported in Seattle, Washington. In addition to the two Polar-class icebreakers, the USCG has a third polar-capable icebreaker, . Both ''Polar Star'' and ''Polar Sea'' are near the end of their effective lifetimes, and have spent years moored because they were in need of expensive and unbudgeted upgrades. In November 2013 four senators proposed an amendment to the 2014 Defense Appropriations Act authorizing the construction of four new Polar-class vessels, at a cost of $850 million each. The four senators sponsoring the a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
