Red Hulls
The service’s three oceangoing ice breaking ships are the Coast Guard’s largest. The two 13,000-ton Polar-class icebreakers are the most powerful in the world, but the service has struggled to keep one of its icebreakers operational: The 17,000-ton Healy-class CGC Healy is an ice-capable research ship and a medium-duty icebreaker.
The CGC Polar Star was placed in a caretaker status in 2006, but was reactivated in December 2012 after refurbishing and modernization. It conducted a successful Arctic shakedown in summer 2013, and is scheduled to support Operation Deep Freeze in the Antarctic. Its sister ship, the CGC Polar Sea, remained active until 2010. With the return of Polar Star to service, Polar Sea looks likely to be decommissioned.
The CGC Mackinaw, near Harsens Island, Mich. Mackinaw is the only U.S. heavy ice breaking vessel assigned to the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard is charged by law to maintain its mission of heavy ice breaking to ensure navigation continues to meet commerce demands during the winter months. The 240-foot Mackinaw can break ice up to 3 feet thick; is equipped with state-of-the-art systems; and has multi-mission capabilities, including the ability to deploy an oil skimming system to respond to oil spills. Photo by Patricia Drury, Flickr
The Great Lakes icebreaker, CGC Mackinaw, is a multi-mission cutter homeported at Cheboygan, Mich. At 3,500 tons and 240-feet in length, it can break ice up to 3 feet thick, and is also equipped for servicing ATON on a seasonal basis, conducting SAR and law enforcement operations, and responding to oil spills.
Black Hulls
The “black hulls” are classified as auxiliaries, and include oceangoing and inland buoy tenders, ice breaking tugs, and other craft employed in supporting ATON and environmental response, as well as conducting SAR and participating in law enforcement operations.
The Coast Guard’s now-decommissioned fleet of World War II-era 180-foot Balsam-class seagoing buoy tenders – some of which now serve with other nations – have been replaced with 16 multi-mission 225-foot Juniper-class seagoing buoy tenders.
The Coast Guard’s now-decommissioned fleet of World War II-era 180-foot Balsam-class seagoing buoy tenders – some of which now serve with other nations – have been replaced with 16 multi-mission 225-foot Juniper-class seagoing buoy tenders. The lead vessel, CGC Juniper, entered service in 1996, and the newest, CGC Alder, was commissioned in 2005. The 225s displace about 2,000 tons and can remain at sea for up to 45 days. The 6,000-mile range at 12 knots is important, as the United States is responsible for reaching distant U.S. territorial waters, such as those surrounding remote islands in the Pacific.
They have powerful handling equipment to retrieve buoys, repair them on deck, and return them to service after maintenance. They are capable of light ice breaking.
The CGC Spar under way in sub-zero conditions near Kodiak, Alaska, Dec. 6, 2012. During this patrol, the crew completed working local aids to navigation and delivered Christmas presents to the children of Old Harbor. Juniper-class cutters can remain at sea for up to 45 days and have a 6,000-mile range at 12 knots, which are necessary characteristics because the Coast Guard is responsible for reaching distant U.S. territorial waters. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Klingenberg
An example of this class, CGC Spar, is based in Kodiak, Alaska, where it tends to navigation aids along the Aleutian chain, and has deployed north to the Arctic Ocean as part of Operation Arctic Shield to help the service gain experience conducting operations in the extreme north.
The Coast Guard also has various black-hull vessels working in coastal waters and on the Great Lakes and inland waterways. These include the 175-foot Keeper class of coastal buoy tenders; 140-foot Bay class of ice breaking tugs, and inland buoy tenders and inland construction tenders.
The Defender-class RB-S is in service in large numbers, and is representative of many smallboats used by the Coast Guard.
The Defender-class RB-S is in service in large numbers, and is representative of many smallboats used by the Coast Guard. These 25-foot-long all-purpose aluminum-hulled boats were built by SAFE Boats International of Port Orchard, Wash., and are powered by a pair of 225 horsepower outboards. They can reach speeds of 46 knots. The have a minimum crew of two, but can carry up to 10 people. They can be assigned to ports, but can also be transported by truck or airlifted where needed.
There are numerous other cutters and craft, from the sail training ship Eagle to small utility boats. Together they comprise a formidable fleet to meet the many challenging assignments undertaken by the U.S. Coast Guard.
This article first appeared in the Coast Guard Outlook 2014 Edition.