US Coast Guard seeks national and foreign suppliers for light and medium icebreakers
USCG WTGB cutters break ice in the Straits of Mackinac on the Great Lakes. (Photo: US Coast Guard)
Contracts for new light and medium cutters are expected to be awarded in mid-2026.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting market research to identify available light and medium icebreaker designs. As part of the domestic icebreaking programme, the service issued two requests for information (RfIs) last week and is seeking potential suppliers from the US and allied nations’ maritime industrial bases.
The deadline for submitting the design and the company’s information is 10 November, while the grant of agreements is planned for mid-2026. The new capabilities will replace the WYTL-65 Small Harbor Tugs and the WTGB-140 Bay-class tugboats, which have been in service for more than 35 years.
According to the RfI papers,
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Anduril Australia shows first Ghost Shark for RAN at factory opening]()
Anduril Australia shows first Ghost Shark for RAN at factory opening
The new underwater vehicle has been described as an “important deterrent” thanks to its ability to operate undetected for extended periods of time.
-
![Advances in USV technology help develop tomorrow’s hybrid fleet]()
Advances in USV technology help develop tomorrow’s hybrid fleet
As services like the Royal Navy and US Navy aim to develop hybrid fleets to reduce reliance on and dangers to crewed vessels, L3Harris, Metal Shark and Red Cat step forward.
-
![South Korea displays domestic technology capabilities with KSS-III submarine launch]()
South Korea displays domestic technology capabilities with KSS-III submarine launch
Hanwha Ocean’s Jang Yeong-sil is the Republic of Korea Navy’s first 3,600t submarine and is the first of three boats in the military’s KSS-III programme.
