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SEATTLE – Coast Guard Healy (WAGB 20) departed Seattle on Saturday July 10 for a multi-month deployment to the Arctic and circumnavigation of North America.
The crew aboard the Healy, a 420-foot medium icebreaker, will provide a U.S. surface presence in the Arctic, conduct high-latitude science and research missions, participate in exercises and professional exchanges with Marines and foreign patrols, and will conduct other operations as directed by the deployment.
Healy is to tour North America via the Northwest Passage and the Panama Canal. Healy’s deployment supports the Coast Guard’s Arctic strategy while providing essential training opportunities for polar sailors and future operations in the Arctic.
The crew will promote American interests along the sea border between the United States and Russia.
“Healy’s deployment provides opportunities to deepen Coast Guard cooperation and engagement with our Arctic allies and partners and to support scientific exploration to increase understanding of the changing Arctic environment and impacts. associates, â€said Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander Vice Admiral Michael McAllister.
The Healy deploys to the Arctic annually to support multiple science missions and Operation Arctic Shield, the service’s annual operation to execute U.S. Coast Guard missions, enhance maritime domain awareness, strengthen partnerships and strengthen preparedness, prevention and intervention capacities in the arctic domain.
Commissioned in 1999, the Healy is one of two active polar icebreakers in the Coast Guard fleet. The Seattle-based Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) is a heavy-duty polar icebreaker commissioned in 1976.
The US Coast Guard is recapitalizing its fleet of polar icebreakers to ensure continued access to the polar regions and protect the country’s economic, commercial, environmental and national security interests. The Polar Security Cutter is still in the design phase and Halter Marine is working to complete the work necessary to begin construction of this incredibly complex and state-of-the-art icebreaker. The contract delivery date for the first Polar Safety Cutter is 2024.
-USCG-
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