Free Republic

Russia Commits to Multi-Year Buy of 67 Mi-28 Attack Helicopters Posted 20-Jul-2006 05:52 The Mi-28A "Havoc" first appeared at the Paris Air Show in 1989, but was never produced in numbers due competition from the Ka-50 "Black Shark" and Russia's financial situation in the aftermath of communism. An improved Mi-28N (see also Rostvertol profile) with full day/night capabilities was introduced as a prototype in 1996, but the Mi-28N would wait until 2004 for the first flight by an improved second prototype, and only began flight testing with the Russian Air Force in June 2005. Defense-Aerospace relays a July 18 Rostvertol...

French connection armed Saddam By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES The United States stood by for years as supposed allies helped its enemies obtain the world's most dangerous weapons, reveals Bill Gertz, defense and national security reporter for The Washington Times, in the new book "Treachery" (Crown Forum). In this excerpt, he details France's persistence in arming Saddam Hussein. First of three excerpts New intelligence revealing how long France continued to supply and arm Saddam Hussein's regime infuriated U.S. officials as the nation prepared for military action against Iraq. The intelligence reports showing French assistance to Saddam ongoing in the...

When US special forces snatched Private Lynch from Iraqi hands they saved a wounded teenager. Mark Franchetti, who was with the marine patrol that got the first tip that she was alive, tells her story An unusual message came crackling over the radios of American marines in central Iraq on Tuesday night: “Precious cargo secured.” The cryptic words produced an audible sigh of relief from the soldiers. Yet it was not the capture of Baghdad or some other military trophy being announced. The triumph was the daring rescue of a teenager from West Virginia. In one of the most dramatic...