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The United States has awarded a multi-billion dollar contract to build five Arctic Security Cutters.
Getting into it: In an announcement, the Coast Guard confirmed a $3.5 billion contract award to Davie Defense Inc. for the construction of five Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), completing the president’s directive for a total of 11 new polar icebreakers. Under the agreement, Davie Defense will build three of the medium-sized cutters at facilities in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas, and two at a shipyard in Finland. The ASCs are designed to operate in some of the world’s harshest maritime environments and counter growing foreign activity in the Arctic.
Delivery of the first Arctic Security Cutter is expected in early 2028, marking the beginning of a significant modernization of the service’s aging icebreaker fleet. Beyond national security, the contract carries major economic implications for Texas. Davie Defense plans to invest more than $730 million into its Texas shipbuilding operations, creating approximately 2,400 new jobs along the Gulf Coast. The company will also receive a grant of about $21.8 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund to support facility expansion and workforce development.
In a statement, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin E. Lunday stressed the importance of the program, saying, “Accelerating construction of these cutters will enable the Coast Guard to defend our northern border and approaches, while strengthening domestic shipbuilding and reinforcing the nation’s industrial base.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem added, “Our adversaries continue to look to grow their presence in the Arctic, equipping the Coast Guard with Arctic Security Cutters will help reassert American maritime dominance there.”
