US President Donald Trump ordered the creation of a full-fledged icebreaker fleet by 2029 to ensure the continued presence of the United States in the Arctic and Antarctic. This is stated in the relevant memorandum addressed to the US Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Commerce, head of the Department of Energy, head of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the head of the budget service and the national security adviser.

The theme of the memorandum is designated as "Protecting US National Interests in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions."

“To help protect our national interests in the Arctic and Antarctic regions and maintain a strong presence of security forces, along with our allies and partners, the United States needs to have a ready-to-work, operational fleet of polar security icebreakers, which will undergo operational tests and will be ready for full deployment in 2029 fiscal year, ”the memorandum says, the text of which is published on the White House website.

It is worth noting that it is proposed to develop a plan to create a new polar fleet in a very short time - in just 60 days.

In addition to building three heavy icebreakers by 2029, the memorandum also mentions the need to identify and evaluate at least two optimal locations for the new icebreaker fleet in the United States and at least two more international locations.

The document also instructs the heads of the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and the Pentagon, the Department of Commerce and the budget department to assess the necessary requirements for the acquisition and operation of a suitable icebreaker fleet, “capable of ensuring a permanent US presence in the Arctic and Antarctic regions in support of national interests and, as appropriate , in order to facilitate the implementation of national security and national defense strategies. ”

Ahead

The year 2029 chosen as the date for the implementation of the plan is not accidental, experts say, because it was then that two US-owned icebreakers should be decommissioned - the medium-sized icebreaker Healy and the heavy Polar Star. Both vessels are operated by the US Coast Guard. For comparison, in the Russian icebreaker fleet there are about 40ships. Finland has seven, and Canada and Sweden have six icebreakers each.

The American Coast Guard, which is an independent and separate type of armed forces from the Navy, took care of the replacement of aging vessels one year before the current Donald Trump memorandum. In April 2019, a contract was signed with VT Halter Marine shipbuilding company in the amount of $ 746 million for the design and construction of a new heavy icebreaker.

  • Reuters
  • © Kevin Lamarque

In addition, the budget plan for the fiscal year 2021, sent to the US Congress in February, announced plans to lay another heavy icebreaker to replace the Polar Star. At the moment, the plan indicates that the Polar Star is maintained in operation due to spare parts from the Polar Sea ship of the same type removed from duty.

U.S. defense publications such as the Defense News portal note that the U.S. may turn to Canada or the Nordic countries for new icebreakers. For example, Finnish shipbuilders claim that they produced about 60% of all icebreakers in the world and dreamed of getting into the American market for years, the newspaper notes.

However, to lease such ships abroad, the Trump administration will need to circumvent the so-called Jones Law, adopted after the First World War to maintain the American shipping industry, the relevant American media say. This law states that coastal trade (cabotage) in the United States can only be carried out on ships built in the United States and with crews of American citizens. 

In an interview with RT, doctor of military sciences, retired 1st rank captain Konstantin Sivkov noted that the deadline for creating a new icebreaker fleet, set by Trump in his memorandum, is unrealistic.

“In 9 years, the United States will not be able to create a serious icebreaking fleet, because it takes at least 10-15 years from setting the task to creating one ship and making it a part of the fleet. In addition, they do not have the experience of creating serious icebreakers, respectively, they will need even more time. In reality, Trump’s idea can be realized no earlier than after 2035–2040, ”the expert believes.

A military expert Viktor Litovkin, in a conversation with RT, also noted that the United States has no experience in the construction of icebreaking vessels, so it will take much more time to implement the Trump plan than indicated in the memorandum.

“The idea of ​​renting also cannot be realized, because not all states have such icebreaking ships, icebreaking class ships that could sail in the Arctic. ... Now Russia has the main advantage in the Arctic - this is an icebreaking fleet, represented by almost 40 vessels, of which four are nuclear. Also in the near future he will receive at least three more ships, ”said the expert. 

Conflict of interests

The United States obviously wants to claim control over the Arctic and access to the Northern Sea Route, Konstantin Sivkov believes.

“Without a serious icebreaker fleet, this is impossible. Moreover, the American fleet, optimized for operations in the middle and southern latitudes, is not suitable for operations in the Arctic; it generally does not have warships that can operate in the Arctic zone. Trump pursues the goal of competing with Russia in this region, forcing it out of the Arctic basin at the expense of it, in order to take control of the Northern Sea Route, ”the expert noted.

  • Nuclear-powered icebreaker "Yamal"
  • RIA News
  • © Valery Melnikov

While the United States is only planning to lay its icebreaker fleet, its expansion and renewal is actively ongoing in Russia. So, in May of this year, the fourth in a row universal nuclear-powered icebreaker of project 22220 Yakutia was laid at the Baltic Shipyard. At the shipyards of the plant, three more nuclear powered ships of this type are being completed - the Arctic, Siberia and the Urals.

As noted on the website of the Baltic Shipyard, Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers of project 22220 "will become the largest and most powerful icebreakers in the world." It is worth noting that today Russia is the only country in the world that operates nuclear icebreakers.

New Russian icebreakers of project 22220 will have to provide further development and development of the Northern Sea Route. In December 2019, the government approved a plan for the development of the infrastructure of this major waterway until 2035. In addition to the construction of icebreakers of type 22220, the plan provides for the creation of nuclear-powered icebreakers of the Leader project and other specialized vessels.

Recall in 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country's Arctic fleet by 2035 will have at least 13 heavy icebreakers, 9 of which will be nuclear.

Konstantin Sivkov, in a conversation with RT, noted that the manned icebreaker fleet provides Russia's advantage in the Arctic zones, where, in addition to civilian infrastructure, the military is also developing.

“Russia's main advantage in the Arctic is its icebreaking fleet and the fact that it controls the coast of the Arctic Ocean. When the United States declares that the Northern Sea Route should come under the control of the international community, this means that Russia must transfer all its territories under international control. It’s impossible, it’s a violation of Russia's sovereignty, an encroachment on territorial integrity, ”said the expert.

Recall that in 2018, Admiral Paul Zuckunt, who served as commander of the U.S. Coast Guard, said that the Northern Sea Route should be a transport artery open to the entire world community.

According to military expert Viktor Litovkin, the Trump administration thus wants to lay the foundation for the Arctic expansion of the United States, which has long ignored the region. 

“The USA now has only small Arctic glades that go back to the Arctic Ocean. This is not enough for Washington, and they want Russia to share the Northern Sea Route, ”the expert noted.  

Viktor Litovkin recalled that the Arctic is the richest region of mineral deposits, including oil and gas. 

“Of course, these are fruitless aspirations, because Russia will never give up its Arctic,” the expert added.