"Russia and China are the only two countries that are building icebreakers at scale. The West has been "falling behind" in its ability to operate fully in the Arctic compared to Moscow and Beijing. Russia has dozens of icebreakers - roughly 40 by some estimates, far more than any other country - while China, which has increased its Arctic activity in recent years, fields around five."
"These ships, which are purpose-built to crush ice blocking waterways, are critical in this region because they enable better movement across frozen yet strategic terrain, unlocking access to trade routes and natural resources. In a fight, they allow access to the battlespace, as well as enable logistics."
"The US, by contrast, fields just one heavy polar icebreaker along with a number of smaller vessels. The Trump administration said last year that the US Coast Guard's fleet of Arctic-capable vessels is "insufficient to meet current operations demands and presents a national security risk.""
NATO faces a substantial capability gap in icebreaker construction compared to Russia and China, according to Norwegian military leadership. Russia operates approximately 40 icebreakers, the world's largest fleet, while China maintains around five with plans for expansion. The United States operates only one heavy polar icebreaker, with the Trump administration acknowledging this as a national security risk. Icebreakers are essential for Arctic operations, enabling movement across frozen terrain, access to trade routes, natural resources, and military battlespace. As Russian and Chinese Arctic activity increases, NATO's insufficient icebreaker fleet threatens operational effectiveness and strategic positioning in this increasingly contested region.
Read at Business Insider
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