Arctic Blitz: Coast Guard Heads Far North

On 25 July 2020, the USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) departed from Dutch Harbor, Alaska and headed to its science missions and Operation Arctic Shield, the service's annual comprehensive assessment and respons in the high latitudes.The Healy is considered the largest and most technologically advanced cutter in the Coast Guard.It is in the vanguard of the Coast Guard surge to the Arctic in summer and autumn,in spite of,yet aware of COVID-19.
Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander VADM Linda L. Fagan assured the Wilson Center think tank:
Our Arctic Strategy is unchanged.The pandemic has not changed our priority, our intention to uphold American sovereignty, advance our national security interests and promote economic prosperity throughout the Arctic.Everyone is postured and remains operationally ready to conduct operations and meet our mission requirements in the high latitudes.
We are mindful of the many communities in and around Alaska and are taking all precautions to be sure we don't inadvertently help to spread the pandemic.*
The Arctic Shield operation will enhance maritime domain awareness; strengthen partnerships; and build preparedness, prevention and response capabilities across the Arctic domain.As the nation's lead federal agency for ensuring maritime safety and security in the Arctic, the Coast Guard protects the nation's interests, safeguards the environment and strengthens our international, federal, state,local and tribal partnerships.*
In Arctic Shield, the Coast Guard
typically deploys a number of cutters, aircraft and personnel to the Arctic with the objectives of Improving Awareness, Broadening Partnerships and Modernizing Governance.*
In future,a major role will be played by the new Polar Security Cutters.The PSCs will enable the US to maintain defence readiness in the Arctic and Antarctic r
Regions; enforce treaties and other laws needed to safeguard both industry and the environment; provide port, waterways and coastal security.
The PSC programme is being managed by an Integrated (US Coast Guard/US Navy) Program Office.On 23 April 2019 the IPO awarded a contract to VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula, Mississippi for the design and construction of the lead PSC, with an option for two more.*
The PSC will conduct national missions; respond to critical events; and project presence in the polar regions.Said Coast Guard Commandant ADM Karl L. Schultz:
Against the backdrop of great power competition, the PSC is key to our nation's presence in the polar regions.*
Construction of the first of the powerful ships will begin in 2021, with delivery slated for 2024.A total of six PSCs are to be built.*
In 2017, the US and Canadian Governments jointly tested models of such heavy icebreakers.*

USCGC Healy Underway in Arctic

One of the two functional icebreakers in the US inventory,USCGC Healy(WAGB-20)is on a four month deployment that includes three scientific missions.The first of the missions,HLY 1301,began on 29 July and ends on 15 August.This blog reviewed a number of AloftCon photos giving the view from the ship's bow.It has encountered open sea to moderate fractured ice,but nothing really substantial as far as ice goes.It visited a small harbour,then a pier where a white ship with two radomes was tied up.It also visited a more urbanised channel with a warehouse and two bridges in the background.The second and third cruises will be National Science Foundation missions.The entire package is called Arctic West Summer 2013 and ends in October.*The Healy is a platform for a broad range of research activities,with more than 4200 square feet of lab space;electronic sensor systems;oceanographic winches;and accomodations for up to 50 scientists.It also supports other Coast Guard missions,such as logistics;ship escort;search and rescue;environmental protection;and law enforcement.*According to the ship's Public Affairs Officer,ENS Rebecca Follmer,the current deployment began on 11 July after five months of intensive preservation and maintenance at Vigor shipyard,Seattle.In June,they had shakedown and sea trials,when the crew refreshed their sea skills and trained new crew members;conducted engineering tests;flight operations;small boat operations;and several drills.They bid farewell to departing crewmembers,wishing them fair winds and open leads,and welcomed new ones.*The first two weeks of July,they had loaded science equipment,including coring equipment from Oregon State University for the second mission;food stores;and general ship's supply;changed the oil in the engines;and completed several final repairs.Shortly after getting underway,the Healy conducted flight operations with a MH-65D helicopter from Air Station Port Angeles.The crew thoroughly cleaned the ship for two days and made way to their first stop of Kodiak,Alaska,ENS Follmer reported on 13 July.

After Years in Port,Polar Star Back at Sea

The US Coast Guard Heavy Icebreaker Polar Star(WAGB 10) has finally gone back out to sea following years of engineering upgrades.It joins the Healy(WAGB 20) as the only other heavy icebreaker in the fleet.The Polar Star's sister ship,Polar Sea(WAGB 11),was also upgraded,but suffered an engine failure in 2010 and is slated for decommissioning.
The Polar Star is on a two week shakedown voyage,the Coast Guard said,out of its Seattle homeport.The ship is capable of rocking itself free of ice by means of three pairs of connecting tanks on opposite sides of the ship.Returning it to sea has been a priority in recent years as the Healy was left to do all the Arctic icebreaking on its own.
Polar Star was commissioned in 1976.It is estimated that building a new heavy icebreaker would cost upwards of a billion dollars-no mean feat in these cash-strapped times.
The vessel has five scientific labs and room for 20-35 researchers,in addition to the Coast Guard complement of 134 crew.It is 379 feet long,with a beam of 83.5 feet,and can sail at a speed of 20 knots.
Besides Arctic and Antarctic icebreaking,it supports research in such fields as geology,vulcanology,oceanography and sea-ice physics.
Polar Star carries two helicopters on major deployments.They are used for ice reconnaissance,scientific support,cargo transfer and search and rescue.The ship's armament consists of small arms.
Two blog posts by the Polar Star's crew are posted below to give an idea of the years of engineering work that was done to upgrade the ship.

Shop Talk:Icebreaker and the Environment

Dear Readers,
There's an interesting post below this one.It's about the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy's Arctic Cruise 2012.I think some of you like icebreakers,wlidlife and the environment.You should read the preceding post,then.It's right below this one.I think you'll appreciate it.
Andrew Taylor

USCGC Healy Underway in Arctic-icebreaker is on scientific mission

The US Coast Guard Cutter Healy(WAGB 20),an icebreaker,has been underway for 10 days now.It is on Arctic Cruise 2012,a mission to study ocean acidification.The mission is conducted in cooperation with the Extended Continental Shelf Project.
The Healy spotted a polar bear on Labor Day.It was sitting on ice about a mile from the icebreaker.Polar bears are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.Ringed seals are their main food.
Ocean acidification is occurring as melted ice results in more sea water being exposed to the atmosphere and its surplus of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.The ocean absorbs about one quarter of human-produced carbon dioxide.This may affect the oceanic ecosystem,causing reduced shell formation;habitat loss;and less food for predators.The United States Geological Survey is researching such effects in polar and other regions by conducting field assessments;experimental laboratory studies;and existing data evaluation.
Scientists from the USGS and other institutes are aboard the Healy on the 4-week Arctic Cruise 2012.They are measuring baseline seawater chemistry to better understand ocean acidification in polar regions,collecting seawater and mineral samples and analyzing data.
The Healy is homeported in Seattle,Washington.It has a crew of 75 and can carry 45 scientists.The Healy is armed with small arms.

Canadian Coast Guard To Receive New Icebreaker

Canada has awarded a design contract for a new polar icebreaker to STX Canada Marine.The vessel is slated to replace the current flagship icebreaker Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St.-Laurent in 2017.The Canadian Coast Guard operates a number of other light to heavy icebreakers.The new ship will be 140 meters long-or 454.3 feet-and displace 23,000 tonnes.It will be capable of breaking ice about 2.4 meters/8 feet thick.This John G. Diefenbaker class ship will carry out a wide range of Arctic and winter missions for Fisheries and Oceans Canada,the Canadian Coast Guard's parent ministry.These will include everything from scientific research to fisheries and sovereignty enforcement and search and rescue.In the meantime,CGCS Louis S. St.-Laurent will continue to carry out such missions.Since 2008,she has been conducting Arctic research annually with U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy(WAGB-20),America's only functional polar icebreaker at this time.The Canada-U.S. Joint Expedition program has been an effort to ascertain the delineation of the extended continental shelf in the Arctic.This is important for the protection,management and use of ocean resources under the Convention on the Law of the Sea,which requires a defintion of rights in concrete geographical terms.The research involves gathering bathymetric data for a 3D map of the ocean floor,as well as seismic reflection data for a cross-section view of beneath the ocean floor.Another American polar icebreaker,USCGC Polar Star(WAGB-10),is currently being reactivated for return to service in 2013.This blog would like to extend hearty congratulations to the Canadian Coast Guard on the occasion of its 50th anniversary year.

USCGC Healy Prepares For Summer Patrol

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy(WAGB-20)is in a standard maintenance period at its Seattle,Washington homeport.The Healy is America's only operational polar icebreaker.The Polar Star(WAGB-10)is being reactivated at Vigor Shipyard in Seattle for service in 2013.
Polar Sea(WAGB-11)had an engine failure and is slated for decommissioning.President Barack Obama included initial funding for a replacement icebreaker in his 2013 budget request.
The Healy is mainly used for scientific research with its five labs.It can accommodate up to 50 scientists,along with 85 crew.Cruising at 12 knots,it has a maximum speed of 17 knots and can continuously break 4.5 feet of ice.The Healy became operational in 2000.
As a Coast Guard Cutter,the Healy can also perform other missions,such as logistics;search and rescue;ship escort;environmental protection;and enforcement of laws and treaties in the Polar Regions.Indeed,this past January the Healy escorted the Russian fuel tanker Renda through the Bering Sea ice to deliver urgently needed fuel to Nome,Alaska.Nome had missed its November fuel delivery because of inclement weather and may not have had enough fuel to get through the winter.
That was an unplanned mission.The Healy was to have headed home for Christmas on 17 December.Instead,it completed the escort mission on 29 January.It had left homeport on 27 May,and arrived back on 5 February.
Captain Beverly A. Havlik is Commanding Officer of USCGC Healy.