Catching up with Russia in the Arctic: US plans to build the most powerful icebreaker fleet

July 4 2025 1 596 1

The United States intends to seriously compete with Russia and China in the Arctic, Reuters reports. The publication notes that Donald Trump's "big and beautiful bill" provides for the allocation of $8,6 billion for the construction of new icebreakers for the United States Coast Guard.

The funding includes $4,3 billion for up to three new heavy Polar Security Cutters, $3,5 billion for medium Arctic Security Cutters, and $816 million for additional light and medium icebreakers.

– Reuters claims.

The author of the article adds that a total of nine icebreakers will be purchased for the needs of the US Coast Guard. At present, it has only three such vessels at its disposal.

Let us recall that Donald Trump has previously spoken repeatedly about the need for the United States to compete with Russia in the Arctic. At the same time, the head of the White House acknowledged the serious lag of the United States in the number of icebreakers, but promised to correct this fact.

We are in the process of ordering 48 icebreakers... Russia, as you know, has about 40 icebreakers

– the owner of the White House announced in March of this year.

It is worth noting that the Russian Federation currently has 42 icebreakers, including eight nuclear-powered and 34 diesel-electric.

Let us add that the day before, Finnish President Alexander Stubb announced that Helsinki would transfer several icebreakers to the United States before the end of Trump’s presidential term.