U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) sits moored at Royal Australian Naval Base HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney, Dec. 23, 2024. U.S. Coast Guard Photo
The U.S. Coast Guard’s only heavy icebreaker, USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10), has departed Sydney to begin its Antarctic mission supporting Operation Deep Freeze 2025. The departure marks the vessel’s 28th voyage to Antarctica, where it will play a crucial role in resupplying U.S. research stations.
Before departing Australia on Friday, the Polar Star conducted a logistics stop at HMAS Kuttabul on December 21, taking on fuel and supplies while hosting tours for U.S. diplomatic personnel.
“The success of Operation Deep Freeze relies on strong collaboration with our international partners,” said Capt. Jeff Rasnake, Polar Star’s commanding officer. “The future of scientific excellence in Antarctica is safeguarded by our joint commitment to cooperative research and protecting the Antarctic environment.”
The mission, considered one of the U.S. military’s most challenging peacetime operations, involves breaking ice to facilitate the resupply of McMurdo Station and other U.S. Antarctic research facilities. The joint operation includes personnel from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy working through Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica.
The aging Polar Star, commissioned in 1976, remains the backbone of America’s polar operations. Despite its 75,000 horsepower and icebreaking capabilities, the vessel’s age highlights the pressing need for fleet modernization. The Coast Guard has identified a requirement for eight to nine polar icebreakers to meet operational needs, but relief isn’t coming soon. The first Polar Security Cutter, initially planned for 2024, has been delayed until at least 2030.
In response to these challenges, the Coast Guard has recently acquired the commercial icebreaker Aiviq for $125 million, which will be commissioned as Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21) and based in Juneau, Alaska.
The Polar Star began its current deployment from Seattle on November 22, covering approximately 7,000 miles with stops in Honolulu and Sydney. During its Pacific transit, the crew achieved a rare maritime milestone, crossing “The X” – the intersection of the equator and international date line.
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