France in 'exclusive' talks with Russia on four warships [Archive]

ARH v.3.1

10-03-10, 05:31 PM

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/France_in_exclusive_talks_with_Russia_on_four_wars hips_Sarkozy_999.html

France and Russia have launched "exclusive negotiations" on the sale of four French warships to Moscow, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday after talks with his Russian counterpart.

"We are in exclusive negotiations for four BPC Mistral," Sarkozy said, standing beside President Dmitry Medvedev, referring to a class of high-tech amphibious assault ship built by France and sought by Moscow.

"This is a symbol of trust between our countries," Medvedev said. "I hope that these negotiations will be crowned by success."

Sarkozy said the first of the four ships would be built at a French naval shipyard in St Nazaire on the mouth of Loire, and that talks were continuing over where to produce the remaining three.

The prospect of French arms sales to Russia has raised concern among some of Russia's neighbours and the United States.

Deks

10-03-10, 11:06 PM

I'm pretty sure we have a thread on this.. somewhere?

buglerbilly

25-05-10, 01:25 PM

Russia Mulls Buying Naval Ships from France, Spain, Netherlands

(Source: Voice of America; issued May 24, 2010)

Russia's defense minister says the country plans to buy four advanced warships from France, and is also in talks with Spain and the Netherlands about purchasing such vessels.

Anatoly Serdyukov said Monday that Russia wants to buy one ship, and jointly build three others in deals with the NATO countries.

Russian President Dimitri Medvedev said he supports the deal.

Serdyukov said the ships would probably come into service in Russia's Northern and Pacific fleets.

The French Defense Ministry announced a deal earlier this year to sell the Russian Navy a Mistral-class ship, a large amphibious assault vessel.

The ships can carry dozens of armored vehicles, along with 16 attack helicopters.

Russia's possible purchase of a French warship has unnerved Georgia, which fought a brief war with Russia in 2008. Other former Soviet republics are said to feel that the warship deal would strengthen Russia's ability to intervene in its neighbors' affairs.

A Russian naval commander has said, if Russia had a Mistral-class ship in the Black Sea during its war with Georgia, it could have moved military equipment to the fighting zone in just minutes instead of hours.

-ends-

Deks

25-05-10, 07:37 PM

I read somewhere that the major stumbling block is that france wants a 2+2 deal, and russia a 1+3. Interesting to see how it plays out.

buglerbilly

26-05-10, 02:35 AM

Russia: We're Looking At Alternatives To Mistral

By NABI ABDULLAEV

Published: 25 May 2010 15:35

MOSCOW - Russia is looking at alternatives to the French amphibious assault ship Mistral, including proposals from Spain and the Netherlands, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said May 24.

"On the helicopter-carrier, we now have pre-contract negotiations with three countries - France, Spain and the Netherlands," the minister told RIA-Novosti, the state press agency. "We plan to sign a contract for four such ships: one will be built abroad, and three will be built with the participation of the Russian shipbuilders, with the fourth ship to be fully assembled in Russia."

Defense analysts here agreed that Serdyukov was attempting to press Paris for a better deal for Russia, as there were reports that France might be reluctant to sell Mistral with its advanced electronic systems.

France has agreed to sell one assault ship to Russia and was considering Moscow's request to build three similar vessels in Russia under license.

The potential deal would be Russia's biggest-ever foreign defense purchase, with experts estimating the price tag for a Mistral at about $750 million.

The potential deal has alarmed NATO's Baltic states, as well as Georgia, with whom Russia had a brief war in August 2008.

Russian Navy Chief Vladimir Vysotsky said in November that if Russia had a Mistral-class assault ship, it would take 40 minutes to put troops onto Georgian shores from the Russian military base in Novorossisk, instead of 26 hours as it was during the 2008 conflict.

French president Nicholas Sarkozy defended the deal when he met with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in February, saying that Russia's purchase of Mistral would pose no military threat to NATO.

In March, during the talks between Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian leader called the upcoming deal a "symbol of trust."

Serdyukov said May 24 that the Mistrals or similar ships will be assigned to the Northern Fleet in the Arctic or to the Pacific Fleet. He didn't name either the fleet in the Black Sea, where Georgia is located, nor the fleet in the Baltic Sea.

A Mistral-class ship can carry 470 troops - 900 troops for short distances - or 40 tanks, and carries eight cargo and eight combat helicopters. France has two Mistrals and is building a third.

buglerbilly

09-06-10, 02:54 AM

General: Russia Needs French Ship For Pacific

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 8 Jun 2010 09:25

MOSCOW - Russia is close to purchasing a Mistral-class French warship and needs such a vessel to patrol waters around Pacific islands that are the subject of a long-running dispute with Japan, a top general said June 8.

Russia's plan to purchase the Mistral - capable of carrying up to 16 helicopters and a 750-strong landing force - has alarmed some of its neighbors amid expectations it would become part of its Black Sea fleet.

But the latest comments by the Russian military's chief of staff could alarm Japan, which has never signed a treaty to formally end World War II with Moscow due to the dispute over the Kuril Islands.

"There is already a high level of readiness on the contractual obligations for the Mistral," General Nikolai Makarov told the defense committee of Russia's upper house. "I think that we will buy this ship."

"We need such a ship, but in the Far East it is quite simply necessary," he said according to the Interfax news agency.

He said in the region around the Kuril Islands "we need mobile means so that a landing force can be rapidly sent there at the necessary time".

Makarov's comments come two days ahead of a visit to France by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, where the subject of the Mistral ship is set to be a central issue.

Russia is expected to buy at least one finished vessel from France and also the right to build several more itself.

The deal - the first such sale of advanced military technology by a NATO country to Moscow - has proved controversial among Russia's neighbors, particularly Georgia and the Baltic states.

Russian officials have on occasion mooted buying a similar ship from a third country such as the Netherlands, but the head of its state arms trade agency said in April that the decision to buy from France had already been made at a political level.

The islands were seized by Soviet troops in the waning days of World War II. Tokyo has insisted on the return of all four islands, which are known as the South Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan.

tiddles

09-06-10, 03:32 AM

buglerbilly

09-06-10, 03:52 PM

Putin: French Warship Deal Must Include Technology

By PHILIPPE MASSONNET Agence France-Presse

Published: 9 Jun 2010 07:46

SOCHI, Russia - The possible sale of a warship by NATO-member France to Russia is attractive only if it includes transfer of the high technology that goes with the ship, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

"This is a good deal for the French shipbuilders," the Russian prime minister said in an interview this week with Agence France-Presse in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

"For us, this deal is interesting only if it is accomplished with a parallel transfer of technology" that Russia's civilian and military shipbuilding industry requires for its development, Putin said.

The deal under discussion between Russia and France is the purchase of one French-built Mistral helicopter-carrying assault ship along with an agreement for joint production in Russia of up to three more such vessels.

He put the price tag of the vessel at around 300 million Euros and said the attention the deal had in France suggested it would be an economic boost at a time when the world is still feeling consequences of the 2008 economic downturn.

The prospect of France selling Russia modern warships has sparked worry among some of Russia's neighbors, notably Georgia, and has raised some eyebrows in the United States.

In April, a top U.S. lawmaker said France should drop the sale because it "threatens to shake the NATO alliance to its core."

However, Putin said the possible sale was as much about the hardware itself as it was about overcoming latent Cold War stereotypes and starting to match confidence-building rhetoric with actual deeds.

"Cooperation in a field as sensitive as military-industrial manufacturing of course leads to higher trust between countries," Putin said.

"In my view, this is no less important" than the technological and economic components of the proposed deal, he added.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday defended the planned sale.

"If Russia is expected to behave like a partner in every domain, including in the area of security and defense, then it must be treated like a partner in every domain," an aide quoted Sarkozy as saying in a meeting with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Putin rejected the worry voiced by Georgia and other ex-Soviet republics neighboring Russia over the sale, saying it was both militarily unfounded and politically discriminatory.

"France has such helicopter-carrying ships. So who is France preparing to attack? Why do people automatically assume that Russia will, of course, have to use this to attack someone? Referring to the 2008 conflict with Georgia, Putin said he hoped there would "never again" be a fight between the two countries, but said Russia had no need for the Mistral warship to act militarily in Georgia.

"Modern strike forces give us the means to carry out any military operation from the territory of the Russian Federation deep into any part of the territory of Georgia," he said.

"And we don't need the Mistral for this."

General Nikolai Makarov, chief of the Russian general staff, said recently that Russia needed the Mistral to complement its naval forces in the far east and protect islands seized in World War II that remain disputed with Japan.

buglerbilly

12-06-10, 03:47 AM

Russia Wants All Technology On French-Built Mistrals

By MARINA LAPENKOVA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 11 Jun 2010 15:12

PARIS - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on June 11 insisted in talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy that a controversial deal to buy French warships include cutting-edge technology, officials said.

The sale of up to four Mistral-class assault ships is seen as France's most ambitious bid yet to reach out to Russia, but negotiations have stumbled over Moscow's demands for a transfer of technology.

The deal would be the first sale of advanced military hardware to Russia by a NATO country.

Putin said in an interview this week that a deal on the Mistral, which has been under negotiation for more than five months, is possible only if the vessel comes fully-equipped.

France has said it will not lump sophisticated navigation systems and other sensitive technology into the deal for the ships, which each cost about 500 million euros ($600 million).

During a working luncheon at the Elysee Palace, Putin held an in-depth discussion about the deal with the French president, according to a Russian official, but no breakthrough was announced.

The official, who asked not to be named, said a working group would be set up by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, presumably to iron out lingering differences.

"Putin and Sarkozy discussed in detail the cooperation in the area of building military vessels," a Russian official said. "Sechin has been tasked with setting up a working group on that issue."

Earlier in central Paris, Putin opened a big exhibition showcasing Franco-Russian cooperation, saying France and Russia must work together to keep their competitive edge in science and technology.

"In scientific and technological areas, we must unite our efforts," he said.

The sale of the Mistral warships, which can carry 16 helicopters and a 750-strong landing force, has also run into complications over Moscow's insistence that three of the four vessels be built in Russia.

"For us the most important thing is to buy technology. That is the future," Russian Industry Minister Viktor Khristenko said.

French officials said the transfer of technology was linked to a decision on where the ships would be built.

"If part of the ship is built in Russia, it will be by Russian engineers and workers, so there will be a transfer of know-how," said an aide to Sarkozy, who asked not to be named.

"This issue has to be negotiated. That is what the president told Vladimir Putin," he added.

Russia's neighbors in the Baltics and Georgia, along with the United States, have raised objections over the sale. France has countered that Russia must be treated like a partner and not a threat in Europe.

There have been concerns that the warships could be deployed in the Black Sea, where tensions are high following a brief war between Russia and Georgia in 2008 and among ethnic Russians living in Ukraine's Crimea region.

Russia's military chief of staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov said in Moscow this week that the vessel could be used to patrol waters near Pacific islands that are the subject of a long-running dispute with Japan.

"For us, this deal is interesting only if it is accomplished with a parallel transfer of technology," Putin said June 9.

The Russian leader met with his former French counterpart, Sarkozy's predecessor Jacques Chirac, first thing June 11 and was to have talks later with the head of French oil giant Total, Christophe de Margerie.

The countries also cooperated in pushing through fresh sanctions this week against Iran over its suspect nuclear program.

A French official said Putin had told Sarkozy that Russia would not go ahead with the sale of S-300 air defense missiles to Iran, in line with U.N. sanctions, a decision welcomed by the French president.

buglerbilly

29-06-10, 04:29 AM

Caution Urged on Sales to Non-NATO Members

By JULIAN HALE

Published: 28 Jun 2010 16:26

BRUSSELS - Latvian Defense Minister Imants Liegis urged consultation among allied countries when NATO members consider selling power-projection equipment to non-allies.

Russia has recently been in discussions with France, the Netherlands and Spain about the purchase of an assault ship.

"A Russian general said that if he had had this equipment at the time of the attack on Georgia, it could have been done in 40 minutes and not 24 hours," Liegis said. "There should be open consultation with all NATO countries before a sale is made, as it is very dangerous for decisions to be taken by countries without discussion."

He suggested that more use could be made of Article 4 of the Washington Treaty in this regard. The article states that "the Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened."

In its May 17 report, the alliance's expert group on NATO's new strategic concept says that "given the changing character and growing variety of dangers to the security of member states, the Allies should make more creative and regular use of the consultations authorised by Article 4. These consultations ... can be important both for preventing and managing crises and need not await an imminent Article 5 threat. ... Article 4 provides an opportunity to share information, promote a convergence of views, avoid unpleasant surprises, and clear a path for successful action - whether that action is of a diplomatic, precautionary, remedial, or coercive nature."

Luis Manuel Cuesta Civis, secretary general of defense policy at Spain's Ministry of Defense, would not comment on shipbuilder Navantia's chances of winning the order from Russia, but said that the tender is in compliance with the European Defence Agency's code of conduct on the export of defense material. He also said the tender complied with a new law creating strict controls, which had been passed in Latvia in 2008.

buglerbilly

24-07-10, 09:30 AM

France To Build Russia 2 Ships: Sarkozy

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 23 Jul 2010 12:06

SAINT-NAZAIRE, France - France will build at least two high-tech amphibious assault ships for the Russian navy, President Nicolas Sarkozy announced July 23, on a visit to a western shipyard.

Russia has been negotiating with France to buy up to four Mistral-class helicopter carriers, despite concerns among Paris' NATO allies over the transfer of western naval technology to their former Cold War foe.

"With our Russian friends, you are going to build the two BPCs," Sarkozy told workers at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, referring to the French abbreviation for the 21,300-ton vessels.

"We're still negotiating the contract, but the decision to go ahead is certain," the president added.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told AFP last month that Moscow would only go ahead with the deal if it includes a transfer of the technology that makes the Mistral one of the most powerful in the French fleet.

He put the price tag of the vessel at around 300 million euros apiece ($388 million), and said that it would be a good deal for French shipyards at a difficult economic time.

But some U.S. lawmakers and the governments of new NATO members on the Baltic fear that the added punch the Mistral would give Russia's naval forces will encourage the Kremlin to throw its weight around in its backyard.

Deks

25-07-10, 06:55 PM

Well that's good news, I think?

It's interesting that not so long ago the Russians were making noises about looking at other suppliers, but for Sarkozy to come out and say this I suppose it must be a negotiating tactic.

buglerbilly

04-08-10, 06:22 AM

Mistral contract should be signed at Euronaval show - Russian Navy commander

Topic: Russia's purchase of French Mistral-class warship

Russia's contract to buy Mistral class helicopter carriers from France should be signed in Paris at the Euronaval 2010 defense show in October or Russia may lag behind in the ship building industry, Russian Navy commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said.

Originally Russia was negotiating the purchase of one French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ship and planned to build three more vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS. But earlier this year, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said talks were underway on the 2+2 scheme, under which Russia will buy two ships from France, and build a further two under license in Russia.

"I hope Russian and French specialists will draft the Mistral contract by the start of the Euronaval event," Vysotsky said.

"If we do not sign a contract on the Mistral, we will greatly lag behind in the speed and rate of our construction of such ships," the Navy commander said.

According to French media, a Mistral costs 400 million - 500 million euros ($522mln-653mln).

The Mistral class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 personnel.

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

Many Russian military and industry experts have questioned the financial and military sense of the purchase, and some believe that Russia simply wants to gain access to advanced naval technology that could be used in the future in potential conflicts with NATO and its allies.

In April, the head of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said the Mistral deal would be concluded by the end of the year.

MOSCOW, August 2 (RIA Novosti)

buglerbilly

20-08-10, 02:15 AM

Backing Off from Mistral Deal, Russia to Open an International Tender for Helicopter Carriers

August 19, 2010 at 4:24 pm

The Russians wanted to buy up to four French Mistral ships. Photo: Novosti news agency

Bit of a surprise this one.............but the bottom paragraph is the key.........

The Russian Defense Ministry will hold a tender on the purchase of helicopter carriers, having backed out of negotiations to buy the Mistral-class helicopter carrier from France without a tender. Russia has been negotiating with the French shipbuilder DCNS about the procurement of two vessels, with options for two additional ships to be built by local shipyards. The estimated cost of the program could exceed US$2 billion – making this program one of the largest Russian shipbuilding programs in recent decades.

The decision to open the tender followed a complaint by the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) to the Federal Antitrust Service, about the exclusion of local shipbuilders from competing for this program, a claim that gained the Russian Navy support. As a result, USC was officially invited to take part in the tender, to be announced next month. The tender is likely to involve other foreign shipbuilders in addition to the French.

While Russian and foreign bidders will seriously attempt to compete, it is likely that the tender will be ‘tailored’ to clear the ground for selecting the French offer. According to the Russian Daily Kommersant, USC has offered to build the ship for $500-700 million, while DCNS priced their vessels around $430-540 million. USC is realistic about its chance to win the program, and is setting the ground to join the French as a partner. Two of the USC subsidiaries are candidates for such JVs – the Admiralteyskiye Verfi from St.Petersburg’s and the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad. A French delegation is expected to visit the Yantar shipyard this month to study the possibility of building Mistral class ships there. Another subsidiary of USC is the Zvezda Shipbuilding Company, based in the Far East, has already established a joint venture with South Korean Daewoo Marine Shipbuilding & Engineering, and will offer the Dokdo helicopter carrier.

USC is promissing it could complete the vessel construction within 30 months.

© 2010 Defence-Update

buglerbilly

20-08-10, 02:28 AM

A bit more on this...........interesting that the Koreans are in there, expect to see the Dutch too

Russia Throws Open French Warship Buy to Tender

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 19 Aug 2010 10:36

MOSCOW - Russia is throwing open its planned purchase of a helicopter carrier to a tender involving foreign and Russian firms, ending France's status as the exclusive bidder, a shipbuilding official said Aug. 19.

Russia has been negotiating with France for months to buy the Mistral-class ships, in its first ever purchase of military hardware from a NATO member state. But talks have been mired by disputes over technology transfer.

The ministry of defense had decided to hold the tender, a spokesman for the Russian umbrella holding of state shipbuilders, the United Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK), told AFP.

"The ministry of defense will launch a tender offer. A commission is being created to organize the tender," said OSK spokesman Igor Ryabov. The defense ministry declined to comment.

The Kommersant newspaper said Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin - the right-hand-man of strongman Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and head of OSK's board - had been instrumental in the decision.

"This means that the ministry has renounced the exclusive purchase of the French helicopter carrier the Mistral," Kommersant said.

Ryabov said three Russian companies could take part in the tender, including the Zvezda shipbuilder in the Far East which has a joint venture with South Korea's Daewoo Marine Shipbuilding and Engineering.

It would offer the South Korean Dokdo amphibious warship, he said, adding the French side would be invited to team up with the other two Russian shipbuilders.

Kommersant said the OSK had been infuriated that the French deal implied it was unable to build a helicopter carrier and this had even began to affect its business.

"Statements by the ministry of defense that the OSK was not even able to build a Mistral - which is basically a rebuilt passenger ship - hit the corporation's work with export customers who started to look at it with skepticism," a corporation source said.

In July, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said it was "certain" that France would build the ships for Russia. In Paris, an Elysee official said there was "no reason to worry" over the latest developments.

Russia's top naval commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said last month that there was "no point" in the purchase of the French ship unless there was a transfer of technology.

buglerbilly

31-08-10, 02:26 AM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Russia and the Mistrals: Will They? Won't They?

Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 8/30/2010 9:55 AM CDT

Fortunately for their nerves, many senior managers of French military shipyard DCNS have been on holiday for most of August because the Russians have been blowing hot and cold over what appeared to be exclusive talks to purchase up to four Mistral-class helicopter carriers worth an estimated 1.5 billion euro ($1.9 billion) from them. The managers would have been pleased by Russian press reports in early August that quoted Russia's navy commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky saying that the contract to buy Mistral class helicopter carriers from France would likely be signed in Paris during the Euronaval-2010 show in the last week of October.

Their hopes would have been strengthened in mid-August when Vysotsky's comments were backed by Air Force Commander Colonel General Alexander Zelin who said the Mistral-class carriers would be armed with Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopters.

But they would have been unpleasantly surprised on August 20 when the exclusive negotiations ended with the launch of an international tender for two helicopter carriers open also to Russian shipyards. But a military observer in Moscow told French financial daily “Les Echos” that “the French should not worry. A call for tender does not have the same objective in Europe and in Russia. For you it enables each to defend an offer in order to be able to choose the best. For us, it simply confirms an agreement already reached backstage.” This analysis was confirmed by a “well-placed source” who said “this does not contradict the agreement concerning exclusive discussions. Because the conditions laid out in the call for tender should favor the French proposal.”

The real reasons for the launch of a tender are probably twofold:

1) domestic because Russia's shipyards have been intensely irritated by the fact they were overlooked. Igor Ryabov, spokesman for the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) said that following a complaint USC filed with the Federal Antitrust Service, “we have received an official invitation from the Defense Ministry to take part in the tender for construction of the helicopter carrier under license." USC is set to work with three shipyards including Zvezda Shipbuilding Company in the Russian Far East, St. Petersburg's Admiralteyskiye Verfi shipyard and the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad.

Ryabov also said USC has proposed that DCNS establish a joint venture with Admiralteyskiye Verfi or Yantar.

2) A means of putting pressure on DCNS to get better technology transfer and a lower price. The French were going to build the first two Mistrals in France and the second two in Russia. The ships will be delivered with very little equipment on board (communications equipment will be notably absent), because France's NATO partners objected to the sale of a completely equipped helicopter carrier to Russia.

Watch this space for further developments.

buglerbilly

08-09-10, 02:11 AM

France Still Confident On Russian Warship Deal

AGENCE-FRANCE PRESSE

Published: 7 Sep 2010 12:47

PARIS, Sept 7, 2010 - France remains "confident" it will win a deal to supply helicopter carriers to Russia, Nicolas Sarkozy's office said Sept. 7 after the French president met with Russia's foreign and defense ministers.

"The latest contacts are encouraging," it said in a statement. "We are continuing our discussions with a lot of confidence. That is the message of both parties."

Sarkozy told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov during the Paris meeting that he "understood" Moscow's decision to throw open to tender the construction of the helicopter carrier.

"There has been no change since the position set out in March by President Dmitry Medvedev on the exclusive negotiations" with France, which include "the question of the transfer of technology," Lavrov told reporters.

Russia had been in exclusive talks with France to buy two 21,300-ton Mistral-class amphibious assault ships and Sarkozy had previously promised French shipyard workers that a deal was imminent.

But last month, Serdyukov announced an international tender, due to take place in September, for two ships and said the producer of the Mistral - France's STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire - would be allowed to bid.

In June, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told AFP the deal would only go ahead if France agreed to transfer the advanced military technology which French versions of the vessel are equipped with.

The deal is reportedly worth around 600 million euros (765 million dollars) and would secure jobs in French yards, but France's NATO allies have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.

The throwing open of the tender came after the umbrella organization of public Russian shipbuilders complained that handing the contract to France without a tender could be illegal.

buglerbilly

22-09-10, 02:14 AM

Russia Agrees To Buy France's Mistral Ship: Report

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 21 Sep 2010 11:34

MOSCOW - Russia has in principal agreed to a deal to buy a Mistral helicopter carrier from France and the forthcoming tender will be a formality, a senior Navy official was quoted as saying on Sept. 21.

Russia has been negotiating with France for months to buy the Mistral-class ships, in its first ever purchase of military hardware from a member of NATO.

But talks have been mired by disputes over technology transfer.

In August, Russia said it had thrown open its planned purchase of the vessel to an international tender, ending France's status as the exclusive bidder.

But the Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified senior Navy official as saying the tender would be a mere formality as Russia and France had already agreed on the parameters of the deal.

"The tender to purchase the helicopter carrier, which will be announced before the end of September, will be of a formal character," he said, Interfax reported.

The tender's primary purpose would be to lower the price to a maximum low, he was quoted as saying.

"The tender is formed in such a way as to practically predetermine the victory of the French ship," Interfax quoted the official as saying.

The deal is reportedly worth around 600 million euros ($765 million) and would secure jobs in the French yards, but France's NATO allies have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.

buglerbilly

27-10-10, 06:11 AM

Russia announces tender for purchase of helicopter carriers

France's Mistral amphibious assault ship

The Russian Defense Ministry has announced a tender for the purchase of amphibious assault ships for the Russian Navy, a deputy defense minister said on Tuesday.

"We have just announced a tender on the purchase of two vessels and on the transfer of technology for future deliveries," Vladimir Popovkin said at the Euronaval 2010 exhibition, which opened on Monday in Paris.

Popovkin said the tender was not public, and he was unable to reveal details.

"But we have sent proposals to all countries capable of building ships of this class," he said, adding that the deal, based on the results of the tender, would be completed by the end of the year.

Experts said earlier that a French Mistral class amphibious assault ship was most likely to win the tender. However, Ivan Goncharenko, the head of the Russian delegation at Euronaval 2010, said Russia had suspended talks with France.

"There were talks on Mistral, but no longer as of today. We were told that once we announce the tender, the talks must be suspended," Goncharenko said. He did not rule out that the talks could be resumed.

Moscow had been in talks with Paris on the purchase of a Mistral class warship on a 2+2 scheme, whereby Russia would buy one or two French-built Mistrals and build another two under license domestically.

The Mistral class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 personnel.

The 22nd International Naval Defense & Maritime Exhibition and Conference (Euronaval 2010) is being held at the Paris-Le-Bourget exhibition center on October 25-29.

LE BOURGET, October 26 (RIA Novosti)

buglerbilly

27-10-10, 05:00 PM

A bit more on this............

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Russia Opens Bid for Helicopter Carrier

Posted by M Pyadushkin at 10/27/2010 9:42 AM CDT

The Russian Defense Ministry announced an international tender for purchase of helicopter carrier ships for the Navy, said the first deputy minister Vladimir Popovkin at Euronaval 2010 exhibition on October 26 cited by RIA Novosti. The Russian military plans to purchase two ships from a foreign manufacturer and get a license to construct more ships at local facilities.

“We have sent our requests to all countries that produce the ships of this class”, said Popovkin adding that proposals from the participants will be reviewed at the end of November while the contract with the winner is expected to be inked by the end of this year. This contract can become the first large purchase of foreign armaments by the Russian military.

But many in Russia think that the tender is just a formality as the winner is already known. It is likely be a Mistral class helicopter carrier by French DCNS. Russia has been in talks with DCNS about the possible purchase of these ships since 2009, at the end of the last year the Mistral ship of the French Navy visited St Petersburg and conducted some trials with the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea, including test landing of Russian helicopters on its deck. Earlier the Russian military wanted to buy one ship and to build three more at local facilities, but later the parties reportedly agreed to the 2 + 2 formula. The deal is unofficially estimated at about 2 billion euro.

The French Navy's Mistral on Neva river in St Petersburg (credits - French Navy)

Among other possible contenders are Daewoo with their Dokdo class ship and Navantia with the Juan Carlos I class.

buglerbilly

25-12-10, 01:23 AM

Russia buys warships from French

Russia has agreed to buy at least two French warships in a deal that would boost Moscow's deployment abilities and has worried some of Russia's neighbours.

4:34PM GMT 24 Dec 2010

It's one of the largest military deals between a Nato country and Moscow.

The Kremlin said in a statement that it "has made its choice" to buy two Mistral-class ships. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev informed French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday of the decision, Mr Sarkozy's office said in a statement.

The Mistral, which could carry as many as 16 helicopters and dozens of armoured vehicles, would allow Russia to land hundreds of troops quickly on foreign soil.

The prospect has alarmed Georgia, which fought a brief war against Russia in 2008, as well as the ex-Soviet Baltic nations in Nato.

France and Russia have been in talks about the sale for months, but negotiations had dragged on amid questions about how many ships would be built and where, and how much of the technology France would share.

France was seen as the leading contender for the contract, though Russian officials said they were also looking at similar ships built by Spain and Netherlands.

French companies DCNS and STX and Russia's OSK will build the first two ships, according to the deal, "which should be extended by the construction of two additional units," Mr Sarkozy's statement said.

The two presidents hailed what they called unprecedented co-operation, saying it showed their commitment to developing partnerships in defence and security.

Poor_Canada

03-01-11, 02:29 PM

I fail to see how a Mistral can threaten anyone, Russian naval infantry as far I know, have almost zero sustainment in regards to fighting power, although I don't know if thats changing. If the Georgians cant deal with a demi-battalion of marines trained to fight for literally hours before having to be resupplied and reinforced, they won't be able to deal with anything else.

buglerbilly

03-01-11, 02:57 PM

The Goergians don't want to deal with it, that's the whole point......they got an ass-kicking last time due to some mis-guided belief NATO would come to the rescue.

The want to spend zero money but they will now have to spend something to counter the "threat" that will exist.

buglerbilly

27-01-11, 02:43 AM

Russia's Mistral Deal Worries Scandinavians

By GERARD O'DWYER

Published: 26 Jan 2011 16:24

HELSINKI - Russia's decision to purchase four Mistral assault ships from France has raised fears in Sweden that at least one of the vessels could be deployed in the Barents Sea. Swedish Defense Minister Sten Tolgfors warned that such a deployment would heighten security tensions in the High North at a time when relations between Russia and its Nordic neighbors were improving.

"Mistral will add to the development of Russian military capability and we will need to take note of this as well. A stronger Swedish Air Force with sea-targeting capabilities, together with the modernization of our submarine fleet, are some of the decisions that I see as relevant when the effect of the Mistral is discussed," Tolgfors told the Society and Defense National Conference in Stockholm on Jan. 21.

The Norwegian government has yet to respond officially to the Mistral purchase.

Norway has been steadily improving contacts with Russia and has launched a range of common cooperation projects since 2008. These include joint naval exercises, air and sea rescue operations, and new cooperation covering border controls.

Military reports in Sweden suggest that Russia will locate at least one Mistral-class helicopter carrier in Severomorsk, the main base for Russia's Northern fleet on the Kola Peninsula and which borders the Barents Sea.

"The Swedish government needs to ask, and our military need to know, just what implications Russia's purchasing of Mistral-class vessels will mean for this country's defense, as well as security in the Baltic Sea," said Mikael Oscarsson, a member of the Parliamentary Defense Committee of the Riksdag, Sweden's parliament.

Tolgfors said that a higher proportion of Russia's annual budget is being directed at modernizing its military into a smaller, but more mobile and better trained force with greater firepower...............EDITED...........

Read more: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=5549303&c=EUR&s=TOP

buglerbilly

27-01-11, 02:32 PM

French-Russian Agreement on the Construction of BPC Ships

(Source: French Ministry of Defense; issued Jan. 25, 2010)

(Issued in French only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

France has agreed to sell four Mistral-class LHDs to Russia, two of which will be built under licence in St. Petersburg. (French MoD photo)A cooperation agreement on the construction of Bâtiments de Projection et de Commandement (BPC)-class ships was signed between France and Russia on January 25.

Alain Juppe, French Minister of State, Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, and Igor Sechin, Vice-President of the Government of the Russian Federation, on January 25 in Saint-Nazaire, France, signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of construction of Mistral-class BPC ships. The signing ceremony was attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

This agreement follows the selection by the Russian government, on Dec. 24, 2010, of the consortium formed by the French shipyards DCNS and STX, together with the Russian company OSK, as the winner of a competition for the supply of two command and support ships for the Russian Navy.

France and Russia have committed to fully support the construction of two BPC ships in France and another two in Russia.

This is the largest agreement ever signed in this field between Russia and a Western country.

Its implementation should open new prospects for cooperation between the two nations.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: While this agreement is welcomed by French shipyards, industry sources note that a firm contract remains to be signed before the order becomes effective. STX, which is the project’s prime contractor, could deliver the first ship as early as 2013. The industrial work-share now being finalized calls for STX to build about 80% of the lead ship and 60% of the second. Both ships will be delivered in sections to OSK, which will assemble them and fit their weapons and systems in Saint Petersburg.)

-ends-

Deks

28-01-11, 03:09 AM

Wow, so they did get them closer to the 1:3 ratio (1.4:2.6) the Russians maintained they were after from the beginning.

buglerbilly

08-02-11, 04:25 PM

Russian shipbuilders, military in conflict over Mistral deal

FNS Tonnerre BPC, a Mistral-class ship, during Sea Trials.

09:38 GMT, February 8, 2011

MOSCOW | Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) has been taken out of the contractual talks with France on the purchase of Mistral class amphibious assault ships, a Russian business daily said Tuesday.

The Kommersant newspaper cited anonymous defense industry sources as saying state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport will represent Russia in direct talks with France's DCNS from now on.

Kommersant speculates that the removal of the USC from the talks could be the result of the company's aspirations to acquire a status of an "independent dealer" on the lucrative arms exports market.

Rosoboronexport, backed by the Russian Defense Ministry, has almost monopolized Russia's arms exports and apparently does not want new players to bite into its share in enormous profits from growing arms sales, which totaled $10 billion in 2010.

Moscow and Paris signed on January 25 an intergovernmental agreement to jointly build four Mistral-class helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy.

Russia's input to the construction of the first Mistral-class warship will be 20% and 40% in the second.

The third and fourth ships are to be built in Russia, whose share of labor input will subsequently rise to 80%.

The talks on the actual contract to build Mistral ships are still underway. The Russian Defense Ministry earlier said the contract could be signed in April-march this year.

Under the Russian-French agreement the first Mistral-class ship, with a price tag of 720 million euros, is expected to be built in late 2013-early 2014 and the second in late 2014-early 2015.

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

A number of Russia's neighbors have expressed concern over the upcoming deal, in particular Georgia and Lithuania.

However, the first two Mistral class ships will most likely join Russia's Pacific Fleet with an obvious task to protect the disputed Kuril Islands. (RIA Novosti)

buglerbilly

04-03-11, 01:10 AM

Russia-France Mistral Talks Hit Snag On Price

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 3 Mar 2011 12:30

MOSCOW - Russia and France have hit deadlock in talks over a deal for Moscow to buy Mistral helicopter carriers, with the two sides unable to agree on a price, according to a Match 3 report that cited Russian sources.

The much-criticized deal is on hold because the countries disagree on the price to be paid for the Mistral-class ships. (File photo / Agence France-Presse)

Russia insists it will pay no more than $980 million (706 million euros) for two Mistral-class ships, while France insists on a contract worth at least $1.15 billion, the Kommersant business daily reported.

"The two sides have a number of issues where they disagree in principle, primarily on the price of the ships that are being bought," Kommersant cited a source involved in the long-running negotiations as saying.

The Russian leadership may have to hold fresh talks on the deal with French President Nicolas Sarkozy after talks in Paris last week ended in an impasse, sources said.

The Russian agencies that sent delegates to the talks, including the arms export monopoly, Rosoboronexpert, and the industry and trade ministry, declined to comment to Kommersant.

Russia and France signed a landmark agreement in January on equipping the navy with four of the helicopter carriers, two of which would be largely built in France and two of which would be built in Russia.

Russia's top general said last month that Moscow could deploy the ships, which can also carry tanks, in the disputed Kuril islands, which are claimed by Japan.

The deal to build the Mistral for Russia would secure jobs in the French shipyards, but France's NATO allies have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.

buglerbilly

04-03-11, 01:52 PM

A clearer explanation of what going on here...........

Russian Mistral Procurement Stalled

(Source: Forecast International; issued March 3, 2011)

NEWTOWN, Conn. --- The governments of Russia and France are reportedly in a deadlock over the price of the Mistral-class vessels. Russia is expected to procure two Mistral-class ships from France under a joint venture that will lead to an additional two vessels being constructed in Russia. While an agreement was reached in January 2010, final contracts detailing costs and deadlines have yet to be signed. Negotiations are now stalled over price.

Russia is only willing to pay EUR980 million for two Mistral-class ships, while France is insisting that it get at least EUR1.15 billion. According to Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin, the contract for all four vessels should only total EUR1.5 billion.

The issue is complicated by the fact that deputy chief of the Russian Navy Vice Adm. Nikolai Borisov signed a protocol with France in December 2010 that set the price of the contract at EUR1.15 billion. However, Borisov was supposedly not authorized to sign the document, and did so without consulting with Rosoboronexport and the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. Regardless, France wants Russia to be held accountable.

The EUR1.15 billion price tag includes the construction of the first two ships (EUR980 million), some unidentified logistics expenses (EUR131 million), and crew training expenses (EUR39 million). However, Russia wants the price to also include the cost of construction licenses for the second pair and technical documentation costs. France insists that those items will cost an additional EUR90 million.

France is expected to issue a final proposal on March 15.

-ends-

Deks

05-03-11, 03:19 PM

According to Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin, the contract for all four vessels should only total EUR1.5 billion

My maths may be shady, but 1.15b + 90m < 1.5b by a fairly large margin.

Chunder

05-03-11, 06:18 PM

The Russians always negotiate hardball with the west when it comes to anything from land for embassies/consulate through to military gear. They are experts at it.

buglerbilly

15-04-11, 03:15 PM

Russian Defense Ministry: France agrees to supply full-spec Mistral ships

09:34 GMT, April 15, 2011 MOSCOW | France and Russia have agreed that the Mistral-class helicopter carriers France will build for Russia will be fully equipped with the communication and control systems, a senior official in Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, according to RIA Novosti.

"Russia has reached an agreement with France that meets the Defense Ministry's demand to provide Mistral with the communications and other systems that would satisfy the requirements of the Navy," the source said.

Russian Vedomosti business daily had previously said the Mistral talks were close to collapse since the Defense Ministry could not agree on the complete set of ships' communications and control systems.

The Defense Ministry official said that Russian-French intergovernmental agreement on the purchase of two Mistral ships included the delivery of the helicopter carriers with the Zenith 9 communication and control system as well as the spare parts for the ships and technical documentation.

Russia and France signed an intergovernmental agreement in January to jointly build two Mistral-class helicopter carriers at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Another two are to be built later at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg.

The estimated price for the first two French-built ships ranges from 980 milllion euros to at least 1.15 billion euros.

The Mistral class vessel is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 personnel.

Russia plans to deploy the first two Mistral ships in the Pacific to protect the four Kuril Islands, which Russia has disputed with Japan since World War II. (RIA Novosti)

buglerbilly

16-04-11, 02:57 AM

Mistral Negotiations Stall Over Tech, Price Issues

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 15 Apr 2011 14:28

MOSCOW - Negotiations over Russia's purchase of Mistral-class assault warships from France are stalling over price and technology transfer issues, chief of Russian Technologies holding Sergei Chemezov said April 15.

"There is such a problem. Initially we said that the price will include not only the ship but the technology," Chemezov, whose state corporation includes the arms export arm Rosoboronexport, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying.

"It seemed that this was agreed upon on the level of presidents, but when it came down to the level of negotiators, everything stalled. Now we... are butting back and forth."

Russia and France signed a landmark agreement in January on equipping the navy with four of the helicopter carriers, two of which would be largely built in France and two of which would be built in Russia.

The deal, which involves joint construction of the vessels, is the first sale to Russia of such naval high-tech by a NATO country.

Construction of the two Mistral ships would secure jobs in the French shipyards, but France's NATO allies have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.

The two sides were reported last month as being unable to agree on the contract price as Russia insisted on paying no more than $980 million while France insisted on a contract of at least $1.15 billion.

buglerbilly

09-05-11, 05:03 AM

Mistral talks stumble over sensitive technology

Mistral

© RIA Novosti14:25 06/05/2011

Talks between Russia and France on the purchase of Mistral class helicopter carriers have come to a dead end over Russia's demands on the transfer and licensed production of sensitive electronics, a Russian defense industry source said on Friday.

Mistral class ships are equipped with a NATO-standard SENIT-9 naval tactical data system and SIC-21 fleet command system. France is strongly opposed to delivering the SENIT-9 to Russia with a production license, and apparently does not want to deliver the SIC-21 at all.

"The Russian side wants to get all advanced technologies together with the ship...and the future of the contract totally depends on whether France would agree to part with these systems," the source said.

The official confirmed that talks were tough-going and their format was constantly changing.

Russia completely replaced its team of negotiators on May 5 hoping to change the course of the talks by literally starting from scratch.

Experts believe that the controversial issues of such a highly-publicized and politically-charged deal could be resolved only through a compromise between the Russian and French leaders.

Russia and France in January signed an intergovernmental agreement to jointly build two Mistral-class helicopter carriers at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Another two are planned to be constructed later at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg.

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

MOSCOW, May 6 (RIA Novosti)

buglerbilly

31-05-11, 06:11 AM

France Strikes Deal to Sell Four Mistral Warships to Russia

By Gregory Viscusi and Henry Meyer - May 27, 2011 12:55 AM GMT+0800

France reached a deal on the sale to Russia of four helicopter carriers in the first major Russian purchase of military hardware from a NATO country.

“We have reached a final agreement on the contract to acquire Mistral aircraft carriers,” Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said today after talks with his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, northern France.

Two of the warships are to be built in France and two in Russia, Sarkozy said. “We decided everything: price, technology transfers and the calendar,” he said, adding that the final contract for the command-and-control Mistral-class vessels will be signed next month during a visit to Paris by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Some of Russia’s ex-Soviet neighbors including Georgia and the Baltic countries have expressed concern the ships could be used against them. Russia and U.S.-allied Georgia fought a five- day war in August 2008.

France’s state-owned military contractor DCNS and the shipbuilder STX will build the two ships with OAO United Shipbuilding Corp. of Russia. The sale may total about 1.37 billion euros ($1.94 billion), the Russian state-run news service RIA Novosti reported Dec. 30. Russia’s share in building the first Mistral will be 20 percent and as much as 40 percent for the second, RIA said.

The Mistral is a 200-meter (656-foot) ship, capable of carrying as many as 700 combat troops, 16 helicopters and 60 armored vehicles.

To contact the reporters on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Deauville, France at gviscusi@bloomberg.net; Henry Meyer in Deauville, France via the Moscow newsroom at +7- hmeyer4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net; Balazs Penz at bpenz@bloomberg.net

buglerbilly

18-06-11, 04:08 AM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Russia signs contract to buy two Mistral-class BPCs

Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 6/17/2011 4:17 PM CDT

Today was DCNS' day because not only was there a big naming ceremony in Lorient for the first-of-class Gowind as you can see in my previous post but it was also the day when Russian defense export agency Rosoboronexport finally signed the contract with the French military naval systems company for two Mistral-class BPC helicopter landing docks.

The contract was signed in Russia at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum at a ceremony attended by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The ships will be built by the STX shipyard at Saint-Nazaire in western France assisted by Russian shipbuilder OSK and will be delivered in 2014 and 2015.

The contract – the first international sale of the BPC -- has been in the works for a year and includes not only the supply of the 22,000-tonne, 199-meter long ship but also initial logistics, training and technology transfer.

buglerbilly

22-09-11, 03:11 PM

DCNS Conducts Further Sea Trials with BPC Dixmude

(Source: DCNS; issued Sept. 20, 2011)

TOULON, France --- DCNS began new sea trials on 19 September with BPC Dixmude, the French Navy's third Mistral-class force projection and command vessel, which was ordered by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) in April 2009.

This latest test campaign off Toulon is scheduled to last five days and will focus on the ship's communication, surveillance (3D radar), navigation and combat management systems. In this phase of the programme, DCNS's co-contractor STX will also conduct additional platform trials.

The new sea trials follow the tests conducted when the ship was first floated in April 2011 and when it sailed from Saint Nazaire to Toulon in July, which included platform trials and initial testing of the combat system.

BPC Dixmude left Toulon with a full French Navy crew of 170 people, a 30-strong team from DCNS, a team from STX and programme representatives from the DGA.

DCNS is conducting the trials with naval and air support – combat aircrafts, helicopters and other vessels – provided by the French Navy and DGA technical centres. DCNS centres are also providing the technical resources needed to ensure successful completion of the test campaign.

The BPC Dixmude is scheduled for delivery to the DGA in early 2012 and will enter service with the French Navy later in the year. The first two BPCs, Mistral and Tonnerre, were built by DCNS and Chantiers de l'Atlantique and delivered in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

With a length of 199 metres, a displacement of 21,500 tonnes and a speed of 19 knots, BPCs offer a global projection capability for troops and materiel including 450 troops and 16 heavy helicopters plus one of several options: two hovercraft, two new-generation EDA-R high-speed landing craft, four LCM-type landing craft or one-third of a mechanised regiment complete with armoured vehicles (representing a payload of 1,000 tonnes). BPCs also offer ample capacity as hospital ships or for large-scale humanitarian missions.

The design features electric propulsion using azimuth pods and high-level automation compatible with a complement of just 170. A high-performance communications suite, a 3D surveillance radar and a Senit 9 combat management system (CMS) make the type ideal as a naval force command vessel.

BPC is a French acronym for Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (projection and command vessel).

DCNS is a world leader in naval defence and an innovative player in energy. The Group's success as an advanced technology company with global reach is built on meeting customer needs by deploying exceptional know-how and unique industrial resources. DCNS designs, builds and supports surface combatants, submarines and mission-critical systems and equipment incorporating the most advanced technologies. It also proposes services for naval shipyards and bases. The Group employs 12,500 people and generates annual revenues of around EUR 2.5 billion.

-ends-

buglerbilly

01-12-11, 05:12 AM

France starts building first warship for Russia - DCNS

France starts building first warship for Russia - DCNS
© RIA Novosti. Alexey Danichev20:38 30/11/2011PARIS, November 30 (RIA Novosti)

French shipbuilder DCNS has received advance payment from Moscow under a $1.2-billion contract and will start the construction of the first warship for the Russian Navy, the DCNS press service said on Wednesday.

The two countries signed a contract in June on two French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ships including the transfer of sensitive technology.

“The advance payment was received several weeks ago and work on the first ship is getting underway,” the service said. “The first ship will be delivered in 2014 and the second in 2015.

Construction of the second ship should start in several months and will proceed simultaneously with the first, but will depend on when the full payment for the first ship is made, a DCNS source said.

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

A number of Russia's neighbors have expressed concern over the deal, in particular Georgia and Lithuania.

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

Many Russian military and industry experts have questioned the financial and military sense of the purchase, and some believe that Russia simply wants to gain access to advanced naval technology that could be used in the future in potential conflicts with NATO and its allies.

buglerbilly

16-01-12, 02:35 PM

STX France and DCNS Deliver BPC Dixmude Three Months Ahead of Schedule

(Source: DCNS; issued Jan. 14, 2012)

Dixmude, the French Navy’s third Mistral-class amphibious warfare ship, was handed over by DCNS and STX France on January 13, three months early. (DCNS photo)

All clear to get stuck into the major build portion of the Russian ones now!

TOULON, France --- BPC Dixmude, the third Mistral-class force projection and command vessel for the French Navy, has been delivered to the French defence procurement agency (DGA) three months ahead of the initial contract schedule. The DGA took formal delivery of the ship on 3 January 2012. This success is the result of outstanding cooperation between industry partners DCNS and STX France. The design, construction and testing of the vessel was conducted in close partnership with DGA and French Navy teams.

Gérard Longuet, the French Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, praised this achievement after touring BPC Dixmude in Toulon on Saturday 14 January 2012.

The DGA ordered BPC Dixmude in April 2009 under the French government's economic stimulus package. It was scheduled for delivery to the DGA at the end of the first quarter of 2012 for entry into active service with the French Navy later in the year. However, the DGA was able to take formal delivery of the vessel on 3 January 2012, three months ahead of the contract deadline.

BPC Dixmude, France's third BPC-type force projection and command vessel, benefited from lessons learned during the construction of the first two Mistral-class ships and efficient cooperation between shipbuilder and outfitter STX France and DCNS, which has responsibility for the combat system and logistic support.

STX France coordinated industrial operations and built the platform and propulsion system as well as installing shipboard equipment. After successful sea trials, BPC Dixmude returned to Toulon in July 2011. DCNS then integrated and tested the combat system, including its communication, navigation and combat management capabilities.

Between April 2009, when the first steel was cut, and July 2011 when the platform was delivered, STX France consistently outpaced the production schedule. DCNS was also able to validate the combat system with just three sea trials, instead of the six scheduled under the contract.

The commitment and availability of the participating DGA and Navy teams and ready naval and air support ensured that the trials went very smoothly indeed.

The fact that BPC Dixmude’s Navy crew was able to work on board and familiarise itself with the new vessel from June 2011 contributed further to the success of the trials.

In 2012, BPC Dixmude will be used as a training ship for the French Navy's Jeanne d'Arc mission. In this capacity, it will host a new cohort of officer cadets for instruction and exercises at sea as well as a detachment of French Army personnel.

The first two Mistral-class vessels, BPC Mistral and BPC Tonnerre, were co-designed by DCNS and STX France and delivered to the French Navy in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

DCNS is a world leader in naval defence and an innovative player in energy. DCNS designs, builds and supports surface combatants, submarines and mission-critical systems and equipment incorporating the most advanced technologies. It also proposes services for naval shipyards and bases. The Group employs 12,000 people and generates annual revenues of around EUR 2.4 billion.

-ends-

Milne Bay

16-01-12, 09:49 PM

I have never understood the truncated bow on the Mistral Class.
It clearly serves some purpose - but what?
It looks for all the world like a whole block is missing - not to mention -ugly!

tiddles

17-01-12, 12:13 AM

I have never understood the truncated bow on the Mistral Class.
It clearly serves some purpose - but what?
It looks for all the world like a whole block is missing - not to mention -ugly!
I agree & have sometimes wondered about the bow myself. To me it looks that the original design was for a longer bow and for some reason they just chopped large chunk straight off it .No doubt there is another answer, although the French seem to design ugly ships ,unlike their fighters which are very attractive to the eye.
Tiddles

buglerbilly

02-02-12, 01:43 PM

DCNS Launches in Saint-Nazaire Shipbuilding Program of Two BPCs for Russia

(Source: DCNS; Issued February 1, 2012)

Two weeks after having delivered the third Mistral-class LHD to France, DCNS has begun building a further two ships for Russia, for delivery in 2014 and 2015. (French Navy photo)

DCNS launched today at the STX shipyards in Saint-Nazaire the industrial production of the first of two BPCs ordered by the Russian Federation. Russian and French dignitaries and employees of both groups attended the official launch ceremony.

The construction of the first BPC for Russia started this morning in the presence of Mr Andrei Petrovich Vernigora - Acting Director of Department of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, responsible for monitoring the execution of the military orders of the State, by Captain Valeri Pletnev, Naval Attaché, Embassy of the Russian Federation in France, and Ivan Goncharenko, First Deputy Director General of Rosoboronexport.

On this occasion, initial sheet metal cutting was carried out.

This study follows the detailed design of the ships, which began on 1 November 2011, to take into account specific Russian requirements. A Russian program office was also inaugurated, which will monitor the work in the STX shipyard.

"DCNS and its partners are fully mobilized to carry out this program," said Pierre Legros, director of the Division of Naval Systems Surface DCNS. "This is the culmination of the common will of our two countries to develop a major industrial partnership."

The contract includes the supply to Russia of two Mistral-class BPCs with associated services and benefits (initial logistics, training, technology transfer). The DCNS Group is prime contractor for the completion of both BPCs and will integrate the operations management system of the ship and system communications. STX France is involved in the contract as a subcontractor to DCNS, responsible for the construction of the ship platforms.

Delivery of the first ship is scheduled for 2014, three years after the entry into force of the contract. The second BPC will be delivered in 2015.

Resulting from the close cooperation between DCNS and STX, the BPC is a ship that meets the needs of many navies due to its versatility. It can carry out a broad range of civil and military missions.

With a length of 199 meters, a displacement of 22,000 tons and a top speed exceeding 18 knots, the BPC is characterized by its large carrying capacity in terms of troops, equipment, heavy helicopters and landing craft, that it is capable of projecting throughout the world. It has electric propulsion pods, and its high level of automation reduces the crew to 170 people. It also has a hospital ward, and can carry out large-scale humanitarian missions. Its communication system makes it a particularly powerful command ship of a large naval task force.

The first two BPCs, Mistral and Tonnerre, made by DCNS and STX France were delivered to the French navy in 2006 and 2007. The third ship, Dixmude, ordered by DGA in 2009, was delivered on January 3, 2012 to the Navy by DCNS and STX France, three months ahead of schedule.

-ends-