Which countries could the US rely on to progress with its shipbuilding programmes?
USCG Polar Star is the last heavy icebreaker built in the US and has been in operation for around 50 years. (Photo: US Coast Guard)
The US Navy and US Coast Guard (USCG) are in critical need of support to build icebreakers, surface vessels and submarines.
The need to rapidly advance the schedule of its shipbuilding programmes might lead the US towards building vessels and submarines abroad, which has raised questions about which countries the Pentagon could rely on.
Speaking to Shephard, Bob Kolasky, SVP of critical infrastructure at AI supply chain company Exiger, claimed that the current state of the national maritime industry requires “working with allies like Canada and Finland”.
“Canada can provide offshore, ship repair and maintenance services to support fleets, and Finland can produce icebreakers, which has been an issue for the USCG,” Kolasky said.
The last heavy icebreaker built in the
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity]()
RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity
The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
![Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration]()
Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
