SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) returned to its Seattle home port Sunday, following a 129-day patrol that concluded its annual Arctic deployment.
Healy, one of three Coast Guard polar icebreakers, steamed over 20,000 miles this deployment, supporting Operation Arctic West Summer and Operation Frontier Sentinel, protecting U.S. sovereign rights and territory, and promoting national security in the Arctic.
“Healy’s unique and specialized capabilities allow us to operate in the most remote regions conducting the highest priority missions of the Coast Guard,” said Capt. Kristen Serumgard, commanding officer of Healy. “Healy’s dynamic crew of active duty and civilian personnel showcased tremendous adaptability, dedication and resilience, steaming over 20,000 miles through ice-covered waters to complete the mission.”
As a part of Operation Frontier Sentinel, Healy queried and monitored three foreign research vessels operating in ice-covered waters over the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf and U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, protecting the territorial integrity of the United States’ northernmost border.
Five China-affiliated research vessels operated in the Arctic region over the summer, and Healy was one of several Coast Guard assets deployed to control, secure, and defend U.S. sovereign interests. The Coast Guard works in conjunction with U.S. Northern Command and Alaskan Command to constantly monitor foreign vessels operating in and near U.S. waters.
Healy’s crew also supported two missions involving the deployment and recovery of subsurface oceanographic equipment throughout the U.S. Arctic, East Siberian Sea, and Laptev Sea. This work was performed in conjunction with the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation, and other partner agencies. The data collected will help build a more cohesive picture of the physical, biological, and chemical properties of the Arctic Ocean, improving maritime domain awareness north of the Arctic Circle.
As part of the Arctic District’s multi-faceted response to a series of devastating storms that struck Western Alaska communities, Healy diverted to the affected region to respond to Search and Rescue and disaster relief needs.
Homeported in Seattle, Healy is the largest cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard at 420-foot long and 16,000 tons. Healy is designed to break 4.5 feet of ice continuously at three knots and can operate in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit, enabling year-round access to the Arctic Ocean.
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