Homeland Security Cutter-Icebreaker

Keeping America's Waterways Open and Safe: A New Generation of Icebreakers

America’s waterways are vital to our economy, allowing the safe and efficient transport of goods and services year-round. From the bustling ports of New England to the Great Lakes, the United States depends on reliable maritime transportation. To ensure these vital waterways remain accessible and safe, even in the harshest winter conditions, the U.S. Coast Guard relies on a fleet of icebreakers. However, many of these vessels are past the end of their service life and in dire need of replacement.

The Coast Guard is embarking on an ambitious program to modernize its icebreaker fleet with a new generation of vessels. The new homeland security cutter-icebreaker class will augment and replace the service's existing domestic icebreakers that maintain critical navigable waterways for commercial traffic during winter months in the Great Lakes and along the coastal waters of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S. from Maine to Virginia, including the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and adjacent navigable waterways.

Addressing an Urgent Need: The Light Icebreaker Replacement with ATON Capabilities

The Coast Guard’s aging fleet of 65-foot light icebreaking tugs (WYTLs) were commissioned into service between 1961-1967 and are well beyond their planned end of service life. The homeland security cutter-light icebreakers (HSC-L) will replace these critical assets and 49-foot buoy utility stern loading boats (BUSLs) with a single, dual-capability platform, maintaining year-round access to smaller ports and harbors.

The new HSC-Ls will be equipped with aids to navigation (ATON) capabilities. This means they can perform vital tasks such as quickly restoring damaged or missing navigational aids after storms or accidents.

The Coast Guard plans to build seven HSC-Ls. These new vessels will be designed to operate efficiently in a variety of ice conditions, providing safe passage and navigation for vessels of all sizes.

Expanding Capacity: Medium Icebreakers

In addition to the HSC-L class, the Coast Guard also recognizes the need to replace its aging medium icebreakers, comprised of the 140-foot Bay-class icebreaking tugs, which were commissioned into service between 1978-1988. The Coast Guard recently completed a service life extension program on the class through the In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program to ensure continued operations and address mission readiness and habitability issues. The Coast Guard is planning for a total of 11 homeland security cutter-medium icebreakers (HSC-M). While primarily focused on icebreaking, these vessels will also contribute to overall maritime safety and security, particularly on the Great Lakes and along the Atlantic coast, supporting a wider range of missions, including search and rescue.

Strengthening Icebreaking Capacity on the Great Lakes: Heavy Icebreakers

To address the unique challenges of ice navigation on the Great Lakes, particularly in severe winters, the Coast Guard is also proposing the construction of one additional homeland security cutter-heavy icebreaker (HSC-H). This additional icebreaker will join the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw, which provides heavy icebreaking capability in the Great Lakes. Combined, these vessels will break through thick ice formations, ensuring that vital shipping channels remain open; assist vessels trapped in ice; clear the channel to keep commerce moving through the icy waterways; and mitigate ice jams and flooding, which will reduce the risk of damage to infrastructure and communities along the waterways.