USCG issues RFI for icebreaking Arctic Security Cutter

The U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) reported last month that the Trump administration’s final Fiscal Year 2025 spending bill could include a provision for a new Arctic Security Cutter program that would operate in parallel with the ongoing Polar Security Cutter icebreaker program.

Now the Coast Guard has issued a Request for Information that says that the agency is conducting market research to assess the current capabilities of the U.S. and international maritime industrial base to support Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) acquisition efforts. Specifically, the USCG is seeking to increase its understanding of existing icebreaking capable vessels or vessel designs that are ready for construction or already in production.

The USCG is also interested in proven execution and build strategies and the ability of global shipyards to support the construction and subsequent launch of an icebreaking-capable vessel within 36-months of a contract award.

Responses are due no later than 5:00 PM ET on April 25, 2025.

According to the RFI package, the preliminary parameters of the vessel are:

Length 360 feet or less
Beam 78 feet or less
Draft 23 feet or less

The vessel will be capable of independently breaking through ice with a thickness of 3 feet at a continuous speed of 3 knots, will have a range of 6,500 nautical miles at 12 knots, an endurance of 60 days and will have an aircraft flight deck and hangar to accommodate one HH-60 helicopter.

The Arctic Security Cutter RFI asks interested parties other than U.S. based shipyards if they have an established partnership or previous production experience with a U.S. base shipyard,

It also asks for the Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost to purchase the following:
a) Production ready or mature vessel design that satisfies or closely satisfies the
parameters outlined
b) The engineering, procurement, and construction of up to THREE (3) of these
vessels.
c) The purchase or lease of an existing vessel that satisfies or closely satisfies the
parameters outlined

• Access the RFI HERE