Arctic Region
Challenges
Ice Ops
Mission execution in the evolving Arctic.
byLCDRKRISTENSERUMGARD
Polar Icebreaker Sponsor Representative
U.S. Coast Guard Offce of Cutter Forces
LCDRMICHAELKRAUSE
Polar Icebreaker Program Manager
U.S. Coast Guard Ice Operations and Mobility Division
Ice buildup on the USCGC Polar Sea during a 2008 Arctic deployment.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by LCDR Ken Boda.
WhentheU.S.purchasedAlaska,itbecameanArctic
nation.Sincethen,theU.S.CoastGuardhasplaced
itselfintheforefrontofArcticoperations.Icebreakersandice-strengthenedcuttersfromtheRevenue
Cutter Bear toUSCGC Healy, haveconductedlaw
enforcement,searchandrescue,defenseoperations,
communityoutreach,andscientifcresearchsupportmissions.Historically,theregion'sremoteness,
severeclimate,icecover,andoverallinaccessibility
discouragedsignifcanthumanactivity,therebylimiting mission demand.
Inrecentyears,reducediceextentandincreasedArcticaccessibilityhasescalatedthenation'sawareness
ofoursignifcantArcticeconomic,environmental,
andsecurityinterests.Withthisincreasedawareness
willcomeincreasedactivityandsubsequentmission
demand. In response, the president signed a national
1
securitypresidentialdirectiveinJanuary2009, providingthenation(andtheCoastGuard)guidancein
meetingnationalandhomelandsecurityneedsinthe
Arcticregion.Specifcally,thisdirectivefocuseson:
• protectingtheArcticenvironment;
• conservingitsbiologicalresources;
• strengthening cooperation among the Arctic
nations;
22
Proceedings
Summer 2013
www.uscg.mil/proceedings
