Transcript

On June 17, France and Russia announced a 1.2 billion Euro contract under which the Russian Navy would acquire Mistral class LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) warships from France. This purchase marks a departure for the Russian Navy, which to date has only briefly counted ASW (Anti Submarine Warfare) helicopter carriers in its inventory. Russia’s amphibious warfare fleet is primarily built around LST (Landing Ship Tank) style vessels that lack an over the horizon amphibious assault capability, which the Mistral will provide.

The purchase of up to four Mistrals is the first major foreign arms purchase by the USSR/Russia since World War II. The current agreement between Russia and France is for two Mistrals to be constructed in France—at the Saint-Nazaire-based STX Europe shipyard, with deliveries scheduled for 2014 and 2015—followed by two more Mistrals to be built in a Russian shipyard in the St. Petersburg region. STX Europe and the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation have signed an agreement under which STX Europe will assist in the construction of a new shipyard on Kotlin Island in St. Petersburg.

The Mistral has a displacement of 21,000 tons, can carry up to 16 helicopters, 450 troops (900 for short duration), and 13 main battle tanks or 60 armored vehicles. It can deploy troops either via air assault or via four landing craft in her well deck.

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