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Elessar
12-21-2017, 01:26 PM
HONOLULU – The United States’ only heavy icebreaker departed Honolulu Friday bound for Antarctica as part of the U.S. military operation to resupply the U.S. Antarctic Program.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star will establish a channel through 15 miles of ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, sometimes up to 10 feet in thickness, to resupply the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo and Amundsen-Scott South Pole stations.

“Operation Deep Freeze, the U.S. military’s contribution to the National Science Foundation-managed, civilian USAP, is unlike any other U.S. military operation,” said Capt. Michael Davanzo, commanding officer of Polar Star. “It's one of the most difficult U.S. military peacetime missions due to the harsh environment and extreme remoteness in which it is conducted.”

Coast Guard men and women aboard Polar Star spent several days in Honolulu provisioning and conducting critical maintenance prior to departing the U.S. The crew will make one more provisioning stop in the South Pacific in late December before crossing the Southern Ocean for Antarctica.

“The Polar Star is one of the most powerful icebreakers in the world and is critical to our Nation’s continued national security and access to Antarctic and Arctic regions,” said Davanzo. “Operation Deep Freeze is one of many operations in the Pacific in which the U.S. Coast Guard promotes security and stability across the region.”

Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, most inhospitable continent on the globe, and each trip requires careful planning and coordination. A primary mission of the service, the U.S. Coast Guard is uniquely equipped and trained to operate in such an austere and unforgiving marine environment.

Polar Star is homeported in Seattle and carries approximately 150 crewmembers, 1.5 million gallons of fuel, and enough food stores to last one year in the ice should itbe necessary. Polar Star is 399-feet long, 13,500 tons, 84-feet wide, has a 34-foot draft (same as an aircraft carrier), 75,000 horse power and nine engines (six diesels, three jet-turbines). The ship can break continuously through six feet of ice and can break through up to 21 feet of ice by backing and ramming. The 41-year-old cutter is expected to reach the end of its extended service life by 2023.

The USAP is managed by the NSF on behalf of the U.S. government to support the conduct of world-leading scientific research in and about Antarctica.

Led by Pacific Command, the Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica provides USAP’s military support, which comprises of active duty, National Guard, and Reserve U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy and Army personnel. The United States is committed to a stable and secure Pacific region, one in which science and engineering research programs sponsored by the NSF and other US agencies can be conducted for the betterment of all mankind.

Taco Junkie
12-21-2017, 03:26 PM
I'm having dinner tonight with some old college friends, one of whom is still employed by the Univ of WI and has done two expeditions to Antarctica as part of the NSF's team. He spent two years there the first time (cost him is first marriage) and 16 months the second time (after his second divorce). He has many cool rocks - he's a geologist - and a few other artifacts. He says he'd go back but I think his memories are better than reality. Not a place on my top 1000 to visit. I can see penguins at the zoo.

High_Plains_Drifter
12-22-2017, 08:04 AM
Lots of conspiracy theories surrounding Antarctica, lots of super secret stuff going on there, no fly zones, weird, if it's nothing more than just a big chunk of ice and land.

Bilgerat
12-22-2017, 08:25 AM
The Polar Star is the only ship in the United States' fleet large enough to break the heavy sea ice to access McMurdo, the U.S. research station in Antarctica.

However, as of 2017, this 40-year-old vessel is sometimes referred to as a "rust bucket" by members of her crew, signalling a need for further overhaul or replacement.

During Operation Deep Freeze 2016, several casualties threatened to halt the resupply mission for the Antarctic program. Using "spit and bailing wire" techniques, the crew was able to keep the old girl going.

Some spare parts have become so hard to find that crew members are reportedly sourcing them from eBay.

http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2016/06/polar-star-crew-recognized-for-mission-saving-repairs/

Elessar
12-22-2017, 10:36 AM
The Polar Star is the only ship in the United States' fleet large enough to break the heavy sea ice to access McMurdo, the U.S. research station in Antarctica.

However, as of 2017, this 40-year-old vessel is sometimes referred to as a "rust bucket" by members of her crew, signalling a need for further overhaul or replacement.

During Operation Deep Freeze 2016, several casualties threatened to halt the resupply mission for the Antarctic program. Using "spit and bailing wire" techniques, the crew was able to keep the old girl going.

Some spare parts have become so hard to find that crew members are reportedly sourcing them from eBay.

http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2016/06/polar-star-crew-recognized-for-mission-saving-repairs/

Some body (bodies) in Congress has to wise up and fund new icebreakers. Polar Star and Polar Sea are both 40 years old.
The fucking Navy retires them at 25 years

Why the hell does our Branch have to hold on, repair, reshape, and keep going with our missions?

Bilgerat
12-22-2017, 03:42 PM
Some body (bodies) in Congress has to wise up and fund new icebreakers. Polar Star and Polar Sea are both 40 years old.
The fucking Navy retires them at 25 years

Why the hell does our Branch have to hold on, repair, reshape, and keep going with our missions?


I know it would mean a whole new training for the Snipes, but why can't we get nuke powered breakers.

Elessar
12-22-2017, 05:00 PM
I know it would mean a whole new training for the Snipes, but why can't we get nuke powered breakers.

Polar Star and Polar Sea were at first configured to be nuke run.

Some 'brilliant' mind up the chain stopped that contract, and at the cost of the original configuration,
pulled out the reactors and left them sitting as they are now.

USCG Always gets underfunded.