Free Republic

Russia to help Ukraine finish construction of missile cruiser Russia has agreed to help Ukraine finish construction on a missile cruiser, which has been stalled for almost 15 years, the Ukrainian president said on Monday. Construction of the Slava class Admiral Lobov cruiser was launched in 1984 at the Nikolayev shipyard in Ukraine but stalled during its final stage in the late 1980s due to a sharp reduction in military expenditure. The cruiser was renamed the Ukraina in 1992. "We have agreed that Russia will complete construction of the Ukraina cruiser," Viktor Yanukovych said at a joint news conference after...

Navy officials say an attempt to pull free a 9,600-ton warship that ran aground off the coast of Honolulu has been unsuccessful.The U.S. Pacific Fleet says Navy tugboats and salvage ship USS Salvor tried to tow the USS Port Royal early Saturday but the guided missile cruiser remained stuck. The Navy says it plans to try again after extracting fuel and water from the $1 billion vessel. The 9,600-ton ship, while carrying guests that included a rear admiral, ran aground Thursday night on a sandy, rocky bottom. The cause of the grounding, as well the extent of the damage...

Russia, Ukraine to Sell Soviet Missile Cruiser Russia and Ukraine will sell a missile cruiser constructed in time of the former Soviet Union, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Construction of Admiral Lobov cruiser of Project 1164 was launched in 1984 at Nikolaev shipyard but stalled at the final stage (the 90-percent readiness) in late 1980s due to the sharp reduction in military costs. The cruiser was renamed to Ukraina after 1992. The government of Ukraine first intended to complete construction to have the cruiser in its own Navy but thought better afterwards. Today’s plans are that Russia and Ukraine will jointly complete construction,...

Police car swipedPunk taunts cops during chase, escapes Winnipeg Sun August 29, 2006 By PAUL TURENNE, POLICE REPORTER A brazen thief, believed to be the first person to successfully steal a Winnipeg police car, dodged cops twice yesterday before ditching the hot wheels on a core-area street and getting away on foot. After a series of near-misses -- including a short car chase during which the suspect shouted obscenities at police over their own radio system -- police were still looking for the suspect, described as a skinny 17-year-old male, at press time last night. The car, an unmarked...

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2006 – A U.S. Navy ship shot down a long-range ballistic missile in its final seconds of flight during a test yesterday. It was the first successful ship-launched intercept of a ballistic missile in its terminal phase, U.S. military officials said. During the Navy and Missile Defense Agency test, Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie, equipped with technology to detect and track intercontinental ballistic missiles, launched a Standard Missile 2 to intercept a missile fired from the Pacific Missile Range facility on Kauai, Hawaii. "The test yesterday was an opportunity to see if a modified configuration of the...

5 out of 5 stars Finally, a tank you can trust, December 1, 2005 Reviewer: Thomas Dunham "Los Pepes" (Catonsville, Maryland United States) I'll admit it. Shopping for a personal tank can be a bit daunting. Many times in the past I've purchased overpriced, so-called "battle tanks", then driven them into battle only to be wrecked in ten minutes by the first blow off of some insurgents home-made morter. But not this baby, no way. This tank R-O-C-K-S! Literally- the 400-watt sound-system keeps me rockin like a crazy man as I'm dishing out justice commando style. Wow. I just can't...

ABOARD USS ANTIETAM (NNS) -- USS Antietam (CG 54), a cruiser equipped with the Aegis Combat System, has patrolled the Persian Gulf since arriving on scene with the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group in mid-March. The ship was a vital cog for the strike group as they conducted maritime security operations (MSO) and supported the coalition efforts in the region. Among the numerous operations conducted by Antietam in the Persian Gulf were Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations and protection of vital assets such as Iraqi oil platforms and Carl Vinson. Antietam is also responsible for...

Bullet from assault rifle winds up in supervisor's hood. Police in Glens Falls say one of their cruisers was accidentally shot by one of their own officers. Police officials say Capt. Stanley Wood was training with the department's new assault rifle when he fired a round into the hood of the supervisors' patrol car. Officials say Stanley, a 33-year veteran of the force, was using one of the department's new AR-15 assault rifles during a training session at the department's shooting range. The bullet came to rest in the car's engine compartment and no one was hurt. Officials say no...

A NEW breed of airliners could help reduce the hole in the Earth's ozone layer.Boeing's Sonic Cruiser Boeing is designing the Sonic Cruiser to operate at 42,000-50,000ft, within the lower levels of the ozonosphere. It will be fitted with sensors to monitor the ozone layer and could eventually be used to release replacement ozone. Boeing hopes it will be flying within six years at just under the speed of sound, saving an hour per 3,000 miles flown on current airliners. Environmentalists are sceptical about Boeing's plans. Friends of the Earth said: "Trying to tinker with this huge problem by adding...

Nuclear Space Cruiser BY JIM WILSON Ideas for using nuclear-fuel-powered interplanetary spacecraft have stirred the imaginations of designers outside of NASA. Perhaps the most ambitious plan has been offered by Fred Roth. A Florida resident, Roth has spent five years attempting to interest the Pentagon in building his massive Nuclear Space Cruiser, to protect the planet from errant asteroids and unforeseen threats. Roth's cruiser (design plans shown at right) would resemble a flattened child's top. Assembled in space, it would stand 650 ft. tall and have a 9000-ft. circumference. The massive interior is needed, he says, to house a nuclear...