Russian military justifies purchase of Mistral warships

Russia has decided to buy Mistral ships from France because it would have taken at least 10 years to develop a similar domestic model, Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov said Thursday.

"It could take at least 10 years to develop a ship similar to Mistral," Makarov said. "And meanwhile someone will create a better weapon [than Mistral]."

Makarov said Russia should buy the best of modern weaponry abroad to be built under license in Russia.

He also said that the Russian state armaments procurement program until 2020 would be adjusted and would total 23 trillion rubles ($785 billion), or 2 trillion rubles ($68 billion) more than originally planned.

A consortium comprised of French DCNS and Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) won a tender on the construction of four helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy in December 2010.

Moscow and Paris signed an intergovernmental agreement to jointly build the four ships on January 25.

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

Russia will construct 20% of the first warship, 40% of the second and 80% of the last two, which are to be built on Russian territory.

Talks on the actual contract to build Mistral ships are still underway. A Rosoboronexport delegation is expected to arrive in France in February to continue the negotiations and sign the contract in April this year.

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

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Russiaan USC dismisses rumors of exit from warship talks with France

Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation dismissed on Tuesday media reports that it had left talks with France on the purchase of four Mistral class amphibious assault ships.

Kommersant business daily reported earlier on Tuesday that Russia would only be represented by state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport in talks with France's DCNS.

"This information is not true," USC head Roman Trotsenko said. "We are a consortium member."

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

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.

Russia's will construct 20% of the first warship, 40% in the second and 80% of the last two, which are to be built on Russian territory.

Talks on the actual contract to build Mistral ships are still underway.

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.

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Russian warship escorts a 9-vessel convoy in the Gulf of Aden

Pacific Fleet (PF) large ASW ship Admiral Vinogradov which is currently deployed off the Horn of Africa escorts a convoy of 9 vessels, reports RIA Novosti referring to a spokesman for Russian Navy. 

"At present, the Russian warship is escorting nine civil vessels through dangerous waters. Totally, there are 8 Russian crewmembers on board those ships", said the official. 

He underlined that Russian Navy would keep on patrolling the piracy-risky regions. "Ships of all four fleets will carry out maritime security tasks rotationally", said the interviewee. 

PF task force which takes part in the international anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden recently escorted the fifth convoy in 2011. 

Fifth task force of Pacific Fleet consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Vinogradov, ocean-going salvage tug, and tanker Pechenga arrived to the Gulf of Aden from Vladivostok on Dec 22, 2010. Admiral Vinogradov has two deck-based helicopters conducting permanent aerial reconnaissance. All ships of the task force are reinforced with PF marine units; all of them had passed special training prior to the mission.

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