Titanic-style mishaps do not have a place in Russia, as the country announces its latest innovation: the Arktika. The Arktika is being toted as the "largest and most powerful" nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world.
Measuring in at 173 meters (569 ft) long and 34 meters (112 ft) wide, the twin-reactor boat can carve a gigantic path through some of the sea's toughest obstacles. It can cut through ice roughly 10 feet thick, haul about 36,000 short tons, and there's a helicopter on board to scout for any upcoming floes.
The Arktika project is estimated to cost the equivalent of $1.9 billion USD, but the ship won't go into service until near the end of 2017, when it'll escort oil and gas ships through northern waters to their destinations in Asia-Pacific. The high price tag of the project, however, is already putting a lot of pressure on it to succeed.
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