Free Republic

After a laborious two-year overhaul beset by delays, cost overruns and unforeseen problems, Navy officials said Monday that the military's oldest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is once again ready for war. The 49-year-old Enterprise, which has been docked at Northrop Grumman's Newport News shipyard since April 2008, was originally slated to return to service six months ago. That plan changed after repair crews discovered damage and decay - from rotted pipes to fried electronics - far beyond what they'd anticipated. As the list of repairs grew, so did costs, to nearly $700 million from an initial estimate of $450 million. That's...

Where are all the sailors? That's usually the first question visitors ask when they step aboard the Independence. The littoral combat ship's unusually small crew -- it takes 40 sailors to operate the $700 million vessel -- is only the beginning of what sets it apart. And if all goes as envisioned, the Independence, which ended its maiden voyage Wednesday at Norfolk Naval Station, could change the way the Navy does business. The Independence and its cousin, the Freedom, were born in concept nearly a decade ago. The military was looking for a quick and cost-effective way to increase its...