Russia's Mistral Warships Won't Have French Weapons

A Russian defense official said two French-built Mistral-class warships on order for the Russian navy will be retrofitted with Russian weapons systems after their delivery, signaling that Western sanctions against Russia may have succeeded in scaling back the military technology transfer proposed in the Mistral sale deal.  

 

"The construction of the Vladivostok [the second Mistral ship] is being completed. … She will be retrofitted with Russian-made weapons at port [in St. Petersburg]," Igor Sevastyano, a spokesman for Russia's state arms import and export agency was quoted by news agency Interfax as saying Wednesday at an arms expo outside Moscow.

 

France's 2011 deal to supply Russia with two Mistral assault ships was part of a 1.2 billion euro ($1.6 million) technology transfer agreement. Officials have remained coy about exactly what cutting edge French technology would be supplied along with the ships, but the expectation was that the deal would be a major boost to Russia's technical military expertise.

 

But since Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March, the West has been expanding sanctions against Russia. In July, the country's defense industry was hit by an EU arms embargo. While stopping short of actually prohibiting the delivery of the ships and transfer of related shipbuilding technologies, this appears to have nixed the possibility of the warships from being outfitted with advanced French gear.

 

The first of the two warships, the Sevastopol, has already been launched and is undergoing final preparations for its delivery to the Russian navy later this year, while its sister ship, the Vladivostok, is not expected to be delivered until November 2015.

 

Washington and several of its NATO allies have pressured Paris to ax the deal, which Western leaders believe will enable potential Russian military aggression against NATO member states and pro-Western post-Soviet states near the Black Sea.

 

France, for whom the loss of the contract would be a major economic blow, has resisted pressure to withhold delivery of the first Mistral. French President Francois Hollande said in July the decision to follow through on the second vessel would "depend on Russia's attitude," referring to Moscow's support of separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported.

 

If everything goes according to plan and Moscow receives its new warships, the vessels will begin their induction into the Russian navy by stopping off at St. Petersburg's Northern Wharf shipyard to receive a full complement of Russian-made weapons systems.

 

Russian sailors are currently training on how to operate the warships, which are unlike anything else currently serving in the Russian navy. Although one Soviet-era aircraft carrier remains in service, it is plagued by technical troubles. The Mistral-class amphibious assault helicopter carriers are significantly more advanced in the areas of command and control systems, as well as communications.

France still considering warship deal with Russia

The crisis in Ukraine has not so far reached the point that the French government is considering halting the sale of assault warships to Russia, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Monday.

 

The crisis in Ukraine has not so far reached the point that the French government is considering halting the sale of assault warships to Russia, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Monday, Reuters reported

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When asked whether the agreement is being reconsidered, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius answered: “We’re not there. For the moment, we are trying to stop Russia’s mobilization in Ukraine and establish a dialogue.”

 

The deal was broadly criticized when France agreed in 2011 to sell two Mistral-class helicopter carriers to Russia despite the concerns of Georgia and some NATO countries.

 

The first ship will arrive by the end of this year.

First Russian Mistral-class helicopter carrier launched in French town of Saint-Nazaire

The ceremony of launching of Russia's first helicopter carrier of the Mistral-class has taken place in the French town of Saint-Nazaire, according to the STX France, the company that assembled the ship's hull.

 "The launch ceremony began at 10.45 am local time [12.45 am Moscow time]. It will last until noon," STX France press service said.

 

 Several shipyards built Russia's first Mistral called Vladivostok.

STX France built the ship's hull and Russia's Baltiysky Zavod, which is a part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), built the ship's stern.

 STX France and Baltiysky Zavod are building parts for the second Mistral-class helicopter carrier called Sevastopol.

Rosoboronexpert and France's DCSN signed a contract for two Mistral ships in June 2011.

 

The USC is subcontractor of STX France. The Mistral-class helicopter carrier is 199 meters long. Its beam is 32 meters and draft is 6.2 meters. The ship's standard displacement is 22,600 tonnes. A Mistral crew has 177 crewmembers. It can carry 481 passengers. The ship will carry Kamov Ka-52L helicopters. It may also be equipped with Russia's Serna and Dyugon landing vessels.

Many military pundits say the Mistrals are more than just helicopter carriers. They are in fact a class of multi-purpose amphibian assault vessels capable of carrying armed vehicles, helicopter groups and a command center. The warship built for Russia, the Vladivostok, will be first sent to the Severnaya shipyard in St. Petersburg where it will be outfitted with additional equipment and weapons. The design of Russia’s Mistral helicopter carriers has also been altered. For instance, they got a stronger hull that will allow the navy ship to perform tasks beyond the Arctic circle. Viktor Baranets, a Russian military expert, shared with the Voice of Russia more details on the new ship.

"French vessels will be redesigned to meet Russian standards. They will be equipped with Russian weapons and carry about 16 heavy or 32 light choppers, as well as some serious anti-aircraft systems. They’ll also be provided with tactical nuclear complexes, such as supersonic cruise missiles Kalibri and some serious radar systems," Mr. Baranets said.

Another thing on the list of readjustments is the ship’s deployment system and infrastructure engineering facilities. The Vladivostok is set to join the Russian Navy in the Pacific by 2014.

Vladivostok helicopter carrier due for maiden voyage next March

Russia’s Mistral-type Vladivostok helicopter carrier will make its maiden voyage in March 2014, Yves Destefanis, a senior executive of the French DCNS naval shipbuilding company, told reporters on Tuesday.

"The maiden voyage is scheduled for March 2014. And in October 2014, the ship will set out for St. Petersburg where the finishing touches will be put," Destefanis said at a ceremony of putting Russia’s first Mistral-type helicopter carrier afloat.

Russia to launch its first Mistral-class helicopter carrier on October 15

The Russian Navy will launch its first Mistral-class helicopter carrier on October 15, that is according to Interfax news agency, citing the French company STX France.

The second Mistral-class ship 'Sevastopol' is scheduled for the delivery in October 2014, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

The Mistral-class multipurpose ships have enough capacity to carry 16 helicopters, up to 40 tanks and some 600 troops. With addition of their operational range of nearly 40,000 km, the new-generation vessels are said to be of a strategic importance for the Russian navy.

The 1.2-billion-euro contract for two Mistral-class ships was signed between Russia and France in 2011. Although the bilateral project has been subject to criticism for being 'political,' rather than beneficial, its proponents argue that as well as strengthening the country’s ties, it would also give Russia access to the latest naval technology.

At least one of the Mistral-class ships is said to be intended for Russia’s Pacific Fleet, which has already prompted concerns in Japan.

Pacific Fleet forming crews of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers
The Pacific Fleet human resources department is recruiting contract servicemen to operate the Vladivostok and Sevastopol Mistral-class helicopter carriers, Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.

"The ships will have crews of over 200 men, and all of them will be officers, warrant officers or contract servicemen. The Pacific Fleet human resources department is recruiting crewmembers. The crews of the helicopter carriers will be formed in November 2013," Martov said.

Apart from the standard fleet recruitment requirements, the recruitment commission will pay attention to the education of candidates.

Warrant officers and contract servicemen need at least to have completed secondary specialized education to qualify.

Psychological tests will also be important.

Qualification rules will be strict for the prospective pilots and technicians, Martov said.

He said that pilots would go on long-distance voyages aboard the helicopter carriers and experience all aspects of the naval service.

After the first helicopter carrier's hull is launched, the crews will be trained in St. Petersburg and accept the ships in France, the fleet spokesman said.

First Mistral class helicopter carrier to be handed over to Russian Navy in 2014 – Russia’s defense industry
The first Mistral class helicopter carrier “Vladivostok” will be handed over to the Russian Navy on November 1 next year, a high official with Russia’s defense industry has said on Friday.

The launch of the ship will take place in Saint-Nazaire, France, on October 15 this year.

“During the year we’re going to finish its equipment and to test it in order to hand it over to the Russian Navy on November 1, 2014,” the official claimed.

After this, the vessel will arrive in St Petersburg where, as planned, it will be armed and the equipment of the ship will be finished at the Severnaya Verf shipyard.

Rosoboroneksport and the French DCNS company signed a $1.2-billion contract for building of the first two helicopter carriers in June 2011.

United Shipbuilding Corporation is involved in a deal as a contractor of a French builder of ships, STX France, situated in Saint-Nazaire. Two other ships of this class are to be built in Russia in accordance with the French technology.

 

France Shows Russia The True Way

Russia recently bought two French Mistral class amphibious ships. Russia has not bought foreign warships for a long time, but this purchase was largely because of an eagerness to acquire Western shipbuilding technology and construction skills. This has already paid off, although not exactly how the Russians had planned. This became evident when a Russian official recently announced that the first Mistral would be built entirely in France. It had earlier been decided to have Russian shipyards build some sections of the first Mistral. It was quickly discovered that the Russian shipyard was not capable of building to the French specifications or do it according to the French timetable. The Russians expected to learn some valuable lessons from the French and, while embarrassing, this was one very valuable lesson. Russian shipyard officials have had their faces rubbed in the embarrassment of not being able to compete with using their current practices. Russian experts on Western production methods and techniques have long complained of the antiquated and inefficient methods still favored by Russian shipbuilders. Navy leaders have been complaining for decades about the poor quality of work coming out of Russian shipyards. The Mistral purchase was to put this to the test.

The Russian Navy has made some changes, in cooperation with the French, of the existing Mistral design. The Russian version of the Mistral will be called the Vladivostok Class and carry 30 helicopters (compared to 16 on the French version). The Vladivostoks will be armed with two AK-630 multibarrel 30mm autocannon for anti-missile defense. There will also be two quad-launchers of shoulder fired type anti-aircraft missiles (with a 5 kilometer range and does well against helicopters) and two or more DP-65 55mm grenade launchers for defense against divers.

The Vladivostoks will also be winterized for use in arctic conditions. The hull will be strengthened to deal with ice and the well deck door will completely close. The flight deck will have a deicing system and the ship will be modified to operate for extended periods in arctic conditions. There is also different electronics and this means a different arrangement of radomes and antennae.

In the aircraft handling areas below the deck, there will be more for the taller Ka-52K and Ka-29 helicopters. The Ka-52K is a navalized version of the Ka-52 that went into production last year. In addition to being equipped with coatings to resist sea water corrosion, the K model will also have a lightweight version of the high-definition Zhuk-AE AESA radar used on jet fighters. This radar currently weighs 275 kg (605 pounds), but the helicopter version will weigh only 80 kg (176 pounds) and enables the Kh-52K to use the Kh-31 anti-ship missile. This weapon has a range of 110 kilometers and travels at high speed (about one kilometer a second). The Kh-52K can also carry the sub-sonic Kh-31 missile, which has a range of 130 kilometers. Both of these missiles weigh about 600 kg (1,300 pounds) each.

Russia is buying two French Mistral class amphibious ships for $1.7 billion and the second one is to be built in Russia, with plenty of French supervision and technical assistance. This is the largest Russian purchase of Western weapons since World War II. The deal was delayed for a long time because the Russians demanded the transfer of shipbuilding and electronics technology (which is now agreed to).

The French navy received the first of the 21,500 ton Mistrals in 2006, with the second one arriving in 2007. Both were ordered in 2001. These two ships replaced two older amphibious landing ships. This gave France a force of four amphibious ships. The two Mistrals are also equipped to serve as command vessels for amphibious operations. The French have been very happy with how the Mistrals have performed.

The Mistrals are similar in design to the U.S. LPD 17 (San Antonio) class. Both classes are about 200 meters (620 feet) long, but the LPD 17s displace 25,000 tons. The French ships are more highly automated, requiring a crew of only 180, versus 396 on the LPD 17. On long voyages on the open ocean, the Mistrals require as few as nine sailors and officers on duty ("standing watch") to keep the ship going.

The Mistrals carry 450 marines, compared to 700 on the LPD 17s. Both have about the same room for helicopters, landing craft, and vehicles (2,650 square meters for the Mistrals, room for nearly a hundred trucks or 60 armored vehicles). Both have hospitals on board, with the Mistrals being larger (69 beds). The American ships however have more sensors installed and larger engines (and thus higher speed). The LPD 17 can also handle vertical takeoff jets like the Harrier or F-35. The French believe that the smaller complement of marines, who are very capable troops, are sufficient for most missions. And the smaller number of people on the ship makes it possible to provide better living and working conditions. This is good for morale and readiness.

One thing American marines and sailors notice about the Mistral is the wider and higher corridors. This came about because the ship designers surveyed marines and asked what ship design improvements they could use. It was noted that in older amphibious ships, the standard size (narrow) corridors were a problem when fully equipped troops were moving out. That, plus the smaller crew size, makes the Mistrals appear kind of empty but very roomy. That, plus larger living accommodations (made possible by the smaller ship's crew and marine complement), make the Mistrals a lot more comfortable. The French ships can be rigged to accommodate up to 700 people for short periods, as when being used to evacuate civilians from a war zone.

After the first two, additional Mistrals for the French Navy are being built using more commercial techniques and are expected to cost closer to $500 million each. France has three Mistrals with several more on order. Russia says it plans to base some of its Mistrals in the Far East, where there is an ongoing dispute with Japan over Japanese islands Russia occupied after World War II and never gave back. The Mistrals will probably show up elsewhere because the Russian fleet is again patrolling the high seas and showing up wherever its government needs some muscle.

2nd Mistral Warship to Be Complete in 2014 – Vice Premier

Russia’s second Mistral-class, amphibious assault ship will be complete in October 2014, a deputy prime minister in charge of the defense industry said Sunday, adding that the first Mistral would enter the nation’s fleet this October.

Speaking live on national television network NTV, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin added that construction of the stern for the first such helicopter-carrying warship would finish at St. Petersburg’s Baltiisky shipyard within two or three days.

Early last week, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said the stern might not be completed within deadline, but Rogozin days later refuted that remark, saying: “The ship will be ready on time.”

French Mistral Warships for Russia to Get Russian Weaponry

The Mistral class amphibious assault ships built in France for the Russian Navy will be equipped with Russian-made weaponry, Navy Commander Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said on Thursday.

“The main armaments installed on the ships will be Russian-made,” Vysotsky said.

The admiral said that the Mistrals for the Russian Navy will be better armed than their French counterparts for staving off airborne and submarine threats.

The Mistral class ships in service with the French Navy are armed with two Simbad launchers for Mistral missiles and four 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns. They are considered under-equipped for self-defense.

Vysotsky also mentioned that the Russian Mistrals could be armed with missiles equipped with “special Russian-designed warheads,” although he did not specify the nature of these warheads.

He stressed that Mistral warships will operate as part of naval task forces and significantly enhance their combat potential.

Russia and France signed a $1.2-billion contract on two French-built Mistral class ships, including the transfer of sensitive technology, in June 2011. Two more ships are expected to be 80% built in Russia, 20% in France.

The first Mistral class warship is expected to be put in service with the Russian Navy in three years.

© RIA Novosti.

France's Mistral amphibious assault ship

A Mistral-class ship is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 troops.

The Russian military has said it plans to use Mistral ships in its Northern and Pacific fleets.