Coast Guard Cutter on Arctic Sovereignty Mission

On 4 December 2020,US Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) departed its Seattle homeport for an Arctic deployment lasting several months.The move echoes the US Navy's policy of unpredictability,giving pause to our adversaries.* In a news release, the Coast Guard said the Polar Star will protect the nation's maritime sovereignty and security throughout the Arctic Region.Indeed,it will project power and support national security objectives throughout Alaskan waters and into the Arctic,including along the Maritime Boundary Line between the US and Russia. In the course of the deployment, the heavy icebreaker will detect and deter illegal fishing by foreign vessels in the US Exclusive Economic Zone and conduct the Arctic training essential for developing future icebreaker operators.* According to the cutter's CO,CAPT Bill Woitry: Polar Star is poised to head into the cold, dark Arctic winter to carry out a historic mission...We will defend US interests in the region, and continue to hone our proficiency to operate in such a harsh, remote environment.* Normally, the Polar Star conducts Operation Deep Freeze during the winter months, resupplying the US McMurdo Station in Antarctica in support of the National Science Foundation.This year,because of COVID-19 restrictions,only aircraft will deliver limited supplies to the Station, with a full resupply being put off till next year.* The Coast Guard is the nation's main maritime guardian in the Arctic, advancing US national interests through its unique set of polar operational capability, regulatory authority and international leadership across the full spectrum of maritime governance. To bolster this mission, the Coast Guard,part of the Department of Homeland Security, awarded VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula, Mississippi a contract for design and construction of the lead Polar Security Cutter, including options for the construction of two more PSCs.There are plans for a total of six of the powerful heavy icebreakers.* The Polar Star has a complement of 142 personnel, plus 33 scientists and a 12-member helicopter detachment.It carries two MH-65 Dolphin helicopters,which routinely deploy aboard certified cutters, providing critical crewed airborne surveillance and interdiction capabilities, being armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun and a .50 caliber rifle. The Polar Star is armed with two .50 caliber machine guns and various small arms.*