Putin Orders Strong Military Presence in Arctic, number of US heavy Icebreakers ....ZERO.

Heavy Russian Nuclear icebreaker 'Yamal'.

Putin Orders Strong Military Presence in Arctic. (RN).

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military on Tuesday to boost its presence in the Arctic and complete the development of military infrastructure in the region next year.

“I request that you pay special attention to the deployment of infrastructure and military units in the Arctic,” Putin said at an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry Board.

Putin said Russia is actively developing this promising region and should have all means for protection of its security and national interests there.

Arctic territories, believed to hold vast untapped oil and gas reserves, have increasingly been at the center of disputes between the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway and Denmark as rising temperatures lead to a reduction in sea ice. Russia has made claims on several Arctic shelf areas and is planning to defend its bid at the United Nations. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that a combined-arms force will be deployed in the Arctic in 2014 to protect the country’s interests in the region.

As part of the ambitious program, the Russian military is planning to reopen airfields and ports on the New Siberian Islands and the Franz Josef Land archipelago that were mothballed in 1993

Shoigu said that at least seven mothballed military airfields on the continental part of the Arctic Circle will also be restored. Hmmmm.....Number of US Heavy Icebreakers.......One.

Also critical to missions in the Arctic is America’s icebreaking capability. Regrettably, this is one capability that is more lacking than even the High Endurance Cutter fleet. The U.S. Coast Guard has two heavy-duty icebreakers, neither of which is currently operational. One is set to berevitalized, but this will be costly and add only a few years to the vessel’s service life.
A new heavy-duty icebreaker would cost nearly a billion dollars and take a decade to build. Considering that the Coast Guard’s total recapitalization budget for fiscal year 2013 is $1.2 billion, it would be difficult to afford much else if the sea service wishes to buy a new icebreaker, even over 10 years.

Related:

          Arctic Shield: Coast Guard Looking North.

               First Chinese Icebreaker 'Xue Long' or "Snow Dragon" crosses Northern Ice sea.

               Breaking the Ice: Russian Nuclear-Powered Ice-Breakers.

               Russian nuclear icebreakers fleet