The US Coast Guard’s first polar icebreaker acquired in over 25 years has set off on its inaugural voyage.
Procured in November 2024, the USCGC Storis (WAGB-21) will serve as a stopgap vessel, bridging capability gaps until the arrival of next-generation cutters expected in 2030.
Storis will support the coast guard’s operational presence across key areas in the Arctic and Antarctic, undertaking missions previously handled by legacy cutters commissioned between the 1970s and 1990s.
The vessel is scheduled for formal induction this August in Juneau, Alaska, before temporarily basing in Seattle while infrastructure upgrades are completed at its Juneau homeport.
Next-Gen Polar Security Cutter Program
The US Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter Program aims to build larger, more versatile ships to maintain military support and commercial security in polar regions.
Full production of the fleet’s first platform began last May in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
The lead vessel, to be called USCGC Polar Sentinel (WMSP-21), will measure 460 feet (140 meters) in length with an 86-foot (26-meter) beam.
It will accommodate more than 180 personnel and a maritime helicopter, with operational endurance of up to 90 days.
Powered by a 45,000-horsepower combined diesel-electric engine, it can move at 3 knots (3.4 miles/5.5 kilometers per hour) through ice up to 8 feet (2 meters) thick.
For defense, the ship will be armed with 12.7-millimeter machine guns and 30-millimeter autocannons.
