USCGC POLAR STAR

USCGC POLAR STAR (WAGB-10) is a United States Coast Guard heavy icebreaker commissioned in 1976. Built by Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle, the vessel was designed to break through thick Antarctic and Arctic ice, supporting scientific research and resupply missions. POLAR STAR has been the backbone of Operation Deep Freeze, ensuring annual access to the U.S. McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Over its decades of service, the cutter has faced challenging conditions, undergone multiple overhauls, and remains the Coast Guard’s only active heavy icebreaker as of 2024.