Icebreakers as a Tool for American Power Projection in the Alaskan Arctic

Abstract

The Arctic environment is changing. In the era of great-power competition, China, Russia, the United States, and others are expanding their capabilities to operate in the Alaskan Arctic. Key among the tools used to do this are icebreakers, vessels capable of cutting through thick ice sheets that blanket Arctic waters for most of the year. The United States’ relatively small and outdated icebreaker fleet is a frequent topic of discussion within political, policymaking, and military circles but there exists little analysis on why icebreakers are important for facilitating American activities in the Alaskan Arctic and if the neglected nature of the United States’ icebreaker fleet is legitimate cause for concern. Drawing on interviews with key personnel across the public and private sectors and domestic and international literature, this thesis contributes to a growing understanding of the role icebreakers play in facilitating American power projection in the Alaskan Arctic both as a symbol and as a tool to fulfill practical defense, homeland security, and economic missions. This thesis seeks to understand to what degree the United States is truly deficient in its icebreaking capabilities.