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1. This won’t get much notice outside specialized security circles but this deployment is a big deal for a couple reasons… https://twitter.com/RCDefense/status/1322971669342822401
2. To begin with the US has a woefully short supply of heavy icebreakers. And by woefully short, I mean we’ve got just one.
3. That ship has, in essence, one mission: resupply McMurdo in Antarctica. It can’t miss a delivery because, since that ship is decades old, there’s always a chance it can break down and miss a delivery.
4. But because of Covid it can’t make a delivery this year which allows her to steam north to the Arctic where the US is pressing to project power.
5. This is likely the last year she will be able to take this northern mission, and the Coast Guard will be highlighting this voyage to show the utility of having a heavy icebreaker up there and the need for build more.
But there’s a problem with projecting this power north…
But there’s a problem with projecting this power north…
6. And that’s something few people take note of, which is that as we beef up our presence in the Arctic, it threatens to diminish our presence in Antarctica.
And while Antarctica is supposed to be a peaceful land of coexistence, there’s great-power struggles down there.
And while Antarctica is supposed to be a peaceful land of coexistence, there’s great-power struggles down there.
7. When the Coast Guard shows up to deliver supplies to McMurdo, it also just…well, it just shows up.
And just being around is a cornerstone of community oriented policing.
And this year the Polar Star won’t be around in Antarctica.
And just being around is a cornerstone of community oriented policing.
And this year the Polar Star won’t be around in Antarctica.
8. The long and short of it is the US has been feckless in its building and maintaining of icebreakers. We’re building more of them now, but it’s going to take years.
While the Navy wants to get to 500 ships, we should make sure the USCG gets its share of icebreakers.
While the Navy wants to get to 500 ships, we should make sure the USCG gets its share of icebreakers.
9/9. Also…while the Polar Star heads north it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Coast Guard up the pace of deployment of some National Security Cutters in the far south so folks headed to Antarctica know there’s still some US white hulls floating around nearby.
