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Homeland Security

Planned Heavy Polar Icebreaker Fleet Pegged At $10 Billion; Program Faces Risks, GAO Says

By Cal Biesecker

Tuesday, September 4th, 2018

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Planned Heavy Polar Icebreaker Fleet Pegged At $10 Billion; Program Faces Risks, GAO Says

Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star. The cutter was built by the former Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company and was commissioned in 1977. (Photo: Coast Guard)

The estimated life-cycle costs for the Coast Guard’s planned fleet of three heavy polar icebreakers is $9.8 billion and the program faces a number of risks, including design, technology, cost and schedule, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).The cost estimate includes acquisition, operations and maintenance of the icebreakers over a 30-year service life. The program is being managed by an integrated Navy and Coast Guard office and the Navy expects the contract for detail design…

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