Stronger hulls could help fill icebreaker gap

[unhappycamper]

Stronger hulls could help fill icebreaker gap
By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Feb 22, 2009 13:11:34 EST

The Arctic now has more water where ice once stood, and more ships are making their way through once-uncharted territory.

The new waterways not only open the debate on sovereignty issues, but also create more risks and responsibilities for a bare-bones crew of Coasties stationed in Alaska.

As America redefines its Arctic presence, the Coast Guard is looking at ways to modify existing assets to accomplish a rapidly growing mission.

One idea being considered is putting ice-strengthened hulls on six to eight of its offshore patrol cutters, the first of which are expected to enter the fleet in fiscal 2015.

The reinforced cutters would be used for missions similar to those of the service’s polar icebreakers, except the patrols would be shorter and the hulls would not be designed to push through 25 feet of ice, as the icebreakers do now, said Rear Adm. Arthur Brooks, commander of the Coast Guard’s 17th District, which covers Alaska and the North Pacific.


Rest of article at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/02/coastguard_arctic_022209/%2e