Coast Guard to homeport four icebreakers in Alaska

The Coast Guard announced Wednesday it will homeport two Arctic Security Cutters in Kodiak and a third in Seward, with the first vessel due in 2028 once shoreside infrastructure is ready. The cutters are funded by $3.5 billion in the 2025 Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which also dedicated more than $3 billion for the infrastructure to support the expanded fleet.

Alaska's congressional delegation framed the expansion as countering Russian and Chinese Arctic presence while delivering construction jobs and Coast Guard families to coastal communities. The announcement follows the August 2025 commissioning of the Coast Guard Cutter Storis in Juneau, a retrofitted commercial icebreaker.

"The Alaska Comeback continues with a fourth icebreaker announced for the great state of Alaska," Sullivan said. "Now, thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, not only are we building brand-new icebreakers, but we're homeporting four where the ice is: Alaska."

Murkowski described the decision as the result of years of work to grow Alaska-based Coast Guard assets. "These vessels will enable the Coast Guard to support missions across the North Pacific and Arctic, strengthening our national security and emergency response," she said. "But they'll do a lot more than break the ice: they'll also bring new housing investment, construction jobs, and Coast Guard families to our communities."

Begich said homeporting the icebreakers in Alaska puts them closest to the mission. "This is what happens when Alaska's delegation works as one," he said.

Base Kodiak is already the largest Coast Guard base in the United States and supports cutters, aircraft, and personnel conducting Arctic missions. Seward's ice-free deepwater port on Resurrection Bay is being prepared for expanded federal use. Vice Admiral Kevin Lunday testified in January 2026 that the Coast Guard was considering homeporting up to four Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska.

Beyond icebreakers, the Working Families Tax Cuts Act funded $4.3 billion for nine Offshore Patrol Cutters, $2.2 billion for approximately 40 MH-60 helicopters, and $1.1 billion for six HC-130 aircraft.