The Arctic Mission, the Coast Guard's not alone

The topic of the Coast Guard and the Arctic is alive and well. Yesterday on the Navy Times’ site I came across two articles pertaining to inevitable Arctic mission by US forces. Yes, I said US forces, not just the US Coast Guard. The protection of life and rights in the cold (can we even say frozen as it’s melting) north is bound to become a top priority as noted by Rear Adm. David Gove, the oceanographer and navigator of the Navy.

[I]ncreased maritime traffic, combined with international disputes over access to oil, minerals and natural gas, will mean sailors used to the Atlantic and Pacific soon will be sailing into a realm known only to submariners and icebreaker crews.

In the first piece (quote above), Arctic forces fleet to look north, the topic of training our naval crews to operate around floating ice and in extreme cold is of one concern. Another is of how to strengthen future ships; a problem also discussed on the side of the Coast Guard. In reading Stronger hulls could help fill icebreaker gap we’re told by RADM Blore of a similar dilemma the Coast Guard is facing if we’re to begin patrolling the Arctic waters. Discussed in said article-

One idea being considered is putting ice-strengthened hulls on six to eight of its offshore patrol cutters… the idea of putting a similar hull on some of the new Sentinel-class fast response cutters “definitely is not off the table,” said [RADM] Blore.

I wonder where the needed Ice breaker is? One paragraph later-

Blore said it would cost $700 million to $1 billion to build a new icebreaker and the ship would take about 10 years to complete.

10 years? Um, that’s a long time. But there is a good reason for such a long estimate-

“A polar icebreaker is not as complex as an aircraft carrier, but it’s unique. We have not built one in the United States for 30 years, so we would be going back to the drawing boards,” [RADM Brooks, D17] said. “It would take a substantial investment to bring a shipyard and people up to speed to build these ships.”

Oh, well I guess that makes sense. I’m not a cutter guy, but isn’t 10 years a long time?

So does anyone think we, the Coast Guard and nation, are ready for the challenges of operating in the Arctic? Truth be told, it doesn’t matter as the President (well, former President) signed the National Security Presidential Directive 66/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 25 (also discussed on iCommandant) which, in a nutshell, is the White House telling it’s US forces to ensure it can operate effectively around the North Pole. I still say I would like to work at Station Barrow for a tour… but I have a feeling my wife may frown on that for some reason.