Arctic Russia

first steps of the usa into the new arctic

Navy.ru reports on the first steps of the USA into the Arctic international relations of the 21st century with the publication of the Road Map for Future Arctic Operations.  The initial stages will be exploratory work done by the US Coastguard and the Navy on the problems of mounting large-scale operations in the Arctic.

It is recognized that the USA has not invested in its Arctic fleet.  In one crucial measure the USA is behind Russia – namely, ice-breakers.  The USA currently has three ice-breakers: the Healy, the North Sea and the North Star and the latter two are not in the greatest condition.  The Healy has a capacity of 30,000 hp whereas Yamal, one of four Russian nuclear powered ice-breakers, is measured at 75,000 hp.  The USA has plans to develop an additional two, whereas Russia is looking to build another three nuclear powered ice-breakers of the universal type.

Lawson W. Brigham, the USA’s foremost expert on Arctic matters, long ago recognized the achievements of Russia in this respect.