U.S. Polar Security Cutter Delayed to 2033 as Costs Top $6 Billion, GAO Warns

The U.S. Coast Guard’s troubled Polar Security Cutter program faces further delays with a new government watchdog report projecting delivery of the first heavy icebreaker in March 2033, almost a decade later than originally planned.

The recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report also raises fresh doubts that even the revised schedule can be met, citing unresolved construction risks, a planned 40% expansion of the shipyard workforce, and the lack of a fully validated production schedule.

The latest assessment marks another blow for a program that has become one of the Coast Guard’s most delayed and expensive acquisitions. The lead