Included in the big federal funding bill recently passed by congress and signed by the president is a whopping $25 billion investment in the Coast Guard’s future. It is the single largest funding measure in the service’s history.
Most of the $25 billion will go into new ships, helicopters and planes. But, $4.4 billion of the total will help build and improve shoreside infrastructure and training facilities.
Included in the funding list are ice-breaker arctic security cutters that will extend the services reach into the far north. These will be accompanied by three new traditional arctic cutters.
For air craft, the service will get 40 new MH-60 helicopters, six new JC-130 fixed wing aircraft and an expanded fleet of unmanned, long range aircraft or drones.
