VIDEO: Vice Commandant Lunday says three USCG cutters laid up by personnel shortages
Written by Heather Ervin
Screengrab from YouTube video
Issues that the Coast Guard faces with workforce recruitment and in maintaining mission readiness were among those in focus in a wide-ranging August 7 discussion with USCG Vice Commandant Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, held at the Brookings Institution’s Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology.
Stressing that the Coast Guard plays a vital role in ensuring U.S. security, Admiral Lunday said that evolving cyber threats pose risks to maritime security and global commerce, while delays in shipbuilding projects and budget constraints further complicate the situation.
To meet its expanding mission requirements, the Coast Guard must continually adapt and enhance its readiness and resilience, despite facing significant trade-offs, said the Vice Commandant.
During the discussion, which you can view in full in the video, Lunday noted, “We had to lay up three of our major cutters because we don’t have enough enlisted personnel to crew them.” In response, the service has redirected funds from other areas of the budget to strengthen recruiting and retention efforts.
He described the practice of “controlled parts exchange,” borrowing components from other vessels to get a cutter underway, as “the fancy term for cannibalization.” Lunday warned that if this practice continues, it will erode the service’s readiness over time.
Lunday also reported that the USCG Cutter Healy (WAGB-20) suffered an engine room fire, causing it to return to port for repairs this year. The medium icebreaker had just begun its summer patrol in the Arctic. The repair process will be challenging due to the antiquated machinery aboard, with some parts possibly no longer available.
“If Healy can’t continue that patrol, the U.S. will have no icebreakers in the Arctic this summer,” Lunday said. This is particularly significant as the United States seeks to assert sovereignty in the Arctic following its claim to an extended continental shelf.
In a more positive light, he also mentioned that the recently signed Icebreaker Collaboration Agreement (the ICE Pact) between the U.S., Finland, and Canada “may help as we go forward” by facilitating the sharing of expertise and technology. He emphasized that future icebreakers will be built in the United States.
