Artists rendering of the future Arctic Security Cutter that the U.S. Coast Guard said would first be homeported in Alaska. The first of the icebreaking cutters are scheduled for delivery in 2028. (Davie Defense, Inc.)
SEATTLE — The first two new Arctic Security Cutters, scheduled to be delivered to the Coast Guard in 2028, will be homeported in Alaska, the service said Thursday.
Currently, the three certified icebreakers operated by the Coast Guard are all homeported at Coast Guard Base Seattle in Washington.
“By strategically positioning these state-of-the-art icebreakers in Alaska, the Coast Guard will maximize our ability to defend our northern border and approaches, while reinforcing America’s maritime dominance in a crucial region of strategic importance,” Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, said in the statement.
Congressional hearings in recent years have focused on increased Russian and Chinese military and commercial maritime traffic in the emerging sea lanes north of Alaska. Warmer weather has opened up formerly ice-bound routes across the northern regions of North America, Europe and Asia.
Russia and China signed an agreement in 2023 to cooperate on Arctic efforts.
Russia operates dozens of icebreakers, including eight nuclear-powered vessels. Many of the ships are assigned to clear ice at Russian ports on the Barents Sea or Siberia. The Russians introduced a pair of armed icebreakers last year, equipped with a turret-mounted 76mm cannon and deck space for missile launchers.
China declared itself a “near-Arctic state” in January 2018 and has two icebreakers, plus three research vessels with icebreaking capabilities.
The U.S., Canada and Finland signed the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort — called “ICE Pact” — in July 2024, to cooperate on the potential construction of up to 90 icebreakers in coming decades.
The Coast Guard plans to add up to 11 Arctic Security Cutters through contracts involving Rauma Marine Constructions Oy of Rauma, Finland, and two American shipbuilders: Bollinger Shipyards, of Lockport, La.; and Davie Defense, of Vienna, Va.
“The U.S. will immediately benefit from our Finnish partners’ icebreaker expertise while coordinating the onshoring of that expertise and shipbuilding to the United States,” the Coast Guard said in the statement.
The Coast Guard did not say where in Alaska the cutters would be homeported. The service is expanding its shore facilities in Juneau and had previously announced plans to move the medium icebreaker USCGC Storis to the base in the future.
The heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star and medium icebreaker USCGC Healy remain assigned to the Coast Guard Base Seattle on the Puget Sound waterfront.
The Coast Guard said the new Arctic Security Cutters will “defend U.S. sovereignty, secure critical shipping lanes, protect energy and mineral resources, and counter foreign malign influence in the Arctic region.”
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy arrives at Pier 46 on Coast Guard Base Seattle on Oct. 26, 2025. U.S. Coast Guard Base Seattle is the current homeport of all three of the service’s icebreakers. (Christopher Butters/U.S. Coast Guard)
