Polar Icebreaker Roles and U.S. Future Needs A Preliminary Assessment (2005) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
3 The U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker Fleet
3 The U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker Fleet
Pages 16-23
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 16... ...
To be categorized as a polar icebreaker by the U.S. Coast Guard, an icebreaker must have propulsion power greater than 10,000 horsepower and a minimum displacement of 6,000 tons (Booz Allen Hamilton, 2005)
|
From page 17... ...
assessed the long-term national needs for a polar icebreaking capability and icebreaking requirements, and recommended that four polar icebreakers would be required to meet national and program requirements through the year 2000. In 1990 the Coast Guard, Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, and Office of Management and Budget prepared an updated report to the President on polar icebreaker requirements, as requested in section 23 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-448)
|
From page 18... ...
Coast Guard polar icebreakers have flight decks and each is capable of sheltering two helicopters. These aircraft are essential for assessing ice conditions.
|
From page 19... ...
CURRENT STATUS OF U.S. POLAR ICEBREAKERS Both the POLAR SEA and POLAR STAR have been in service for 28 and 29 years, respectively, and are approaching the end of their design service lives.
|
From page 20... ...
. Due to rapidly aging mechanical systems, deferred routine and major maintenance due to reduced funding over recent years, and recent increased Antarctic operational requirements, both the POLAR SEA and POLAR STAR now require annual extensive, expensive repairs to enable readiness for sea.
|
From page 21... ...
These missions include the traditional USCG missions of the polar icebreakers (search and rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties) that were conducted as needed and funded from the base funding.
|
From page 22... ...
Moving budget authority for the icebreaking program to the NSF does not address the base funding problem and increases the difficulty of management because management decisions related to the polar icebreakers are now spread across two agencies. Currently, the polar icebreakers are dual purpose ships, meeting both the NSF and the USCG mission responsibilities.
|
From page 23... ...
The Committee believes that the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking mission transcends the support of science despite the fact that the majority of icebreaker usage at the current time is to support science.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.