
The Department of Homeland Security last Thursday approved the Coast Guard’s request to start production of the first domestically-built heavy icebreaker in nearly 50 years, a key milestone on the service’s path to hosting a fleet of icebreakers that can help provide the U.S. sustained presence in the polar regions. The Coast Guard is still negotiating a contract modification with Bollinger Shipyards on the cost to build the Polar Security Cutters (PSCs) and the production schedule (Defense Daily, Dec. 18).…