Arctic emerging as popular topic at Coast Guard Academy

Michael Melia

HARTFORD, Conn. -- As rising temperatures melt Arctic ice caps, the U.S. Coast Guard is ramping up for deployments in northern seas that are emerging as a new maritime frontier.

The guard's largest-ever Arctic deployment, planned for this summer, is designed partly to answer questions over how it will perform off Alaska's north coast. How will cutters navigate without reliable charts mapping the sea bottom? How will communications be affected by the lack of onshore infrastructure? Do service members have the right training for the climate?









The Coast Guard's closest base to the Arctic is Air Station Kodiak, where it has three cutters and several aircraft based on an island in the Gulf of Alaska roughly 850 miles away from Barrow.


This summer, as part of an operation called Arctic Shield, the guard is planning full-scale deployments of several cutters, helicopters and small craft. A 225-foot buoy tender will test the Coast Guard's oil spill recovery system for the first time in the Arctic.

"Part of deploying the helicopters and boats is to test the capabilities and to identify logistical issues with full-time Arctic operations so that we can start planning and accounting for that in the years to come," said Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow, a spokesman for the Coast Guard's 17th District in Juneau.

Among the panelists expected for the conference is the commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr., who said in address to Congress last year that the Arctic service was limited by having only one operational ice breaker and by an absence of coastal infrastructure. As an example, he said he was not able to stay overnight on a visit to Barrow because finding lodging for his travel party was such a challenge.

Goward, the Coast Guard official in Washington, said the service will likely continue expanding its presence as the Arctic becomes more accessible, but the scale will depend on things beyond the agency's control.

"One of the biggest challenges is the nation doesn't realize it's an Arctic nation," he said. "Generally we don't realize we have these rights and responsibilities. That's going to continue to be a big challenge."

Associated Press