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Coast Guard concludes 2015 Arctic Shield
The U.S. Coast Guard has concluded its Arctic Shield 2015 program, the agency said Oct. 20. Arctic Shield, an annual program that the Coast Guard conducts primarily during the summer Arctic open water season, enables the agency to ramp up its Arctic presence, engage with Arctic communities and conduct Arctic operational test exercises.
This year's program involved the deployment of the icebreaker Healy, the national security cutter Waesche, the high endurance cutter Boutwell, the cutter Alex Haley and the seagoing buoy tenders Sycamore and Maple, the Coast Guard said. In addition, the Coast Guard stationed two Jayhawk helicopters from Kodiak in a forward operating location in Deadhorse, in readiness to respond to potential maritime incidents in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. The focus of the program included protecting lives and property; law enforcement; tribal engagement and assistance; servicing navigation aids; conducting science missions; and conducting marine safety activities in Arctic communities.
Community outreach efforts included meetings with local, state, federal and tribal partners to address a number of issues and to broaden awareness of Coast Guard Arctic activities.
North Pole While supporting a research project, the Healy became the first unaccompanied U.S. surface ship to reach the North Pole and the fourth U.S. vessel to reach the Pole, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard conducted a mobilization and deployment exercise for geographic response strategy equipment and conducted oil spill response training in the village of Kotzebue for up to 30 state, local and tribal entities. Geographic response strategies specify tactics for protecting certain locations around the coastline from damage from an oil spill.
The Coast Guard also said that it completed an environmental assessment for this year’s program. Information gathered from public outreach events during this assessment is being used to inform and improve ongoing Arctic planning and future operations. As sea ice continues to recede in the Arctic, there is heightened potential for increased maritime activity and, with that increase, a growing demand for maritime preparedness in the Arctic region, the Coast Guard said.
“The Coast Guard is dedicated to ensuring the protection of the Arctic maritime environment and all those who depend upon it,” said Rear Adm. Dan Abel, Coast Guard 17th District commander. “We have worked with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to ensure that our operations are carried out in a professional manner while recognizing and respecting the sensitive environmental characteristics of the region where operations occur.”
- ALAN BAILEY
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