Bipartisan blame for Coast Guard delays on Arctic defense cutters highlighted by U.S. House panel.

The United States Coast Guard is facing bipartisan criticism from a House panel for delays in building Polar Security cutters needed to counter the increased Russian and Chinese presence in the Arctic region. The urgency of the situation was highlighted in a recent hearing, with concerns raised about joint military operations by Russia and China in the area.

The Coast Guard currently only operates two icebreakers, while Russia has 55 icebreakers, including nuclear-powered ones, and China is rapidly expanding its icebreaker fleet. Congress recently approved $125 million to purchase a commercially available icebreaker as a temporary measure until new Polar Security Cutters can be built.

However, a Congressional Budget Office report revealed that the first new cutter is unlikely to be operational until 2030, with a significantly higher cost than originally estimated. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thomas Allan acknowledged that Russia and China have an advantage in the Arctic due to their icebreaker fleets.

To address the lack of icebreakers, the Coast Guard plans to increase the number of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft deployed to the region. The agency is also seeking a budget increase to acquire nine icebreakers, including three capable of cutting through up to 2 meters of ice.

There is an agreement in place with Canada and Finland to coordinate design expertise and shipyard availability to speed up the icebreaker construction process. The Coast Guard has also postponed a decision on expanding its base in Seattle to accommodate the new cutters.

The debate over the handling of the Polar Security Cutter program is expected to continue under the incoming Trump administration, with calls for more resources to be allocated to address the urgent need for Arctic capabilities within the Coast Guard.

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