Where is the Mistral? Dragons. Weapons and warning systems

For the Russian Navy. The first event of an optimistic nature took place on February 1 in the small port town of Saint-Nazaire in western France - on that day, metal cutting for the first universal landing ship-helicopter carrier Mistral a la Rus began at the STX France shipyard. Along the way, the name of the future ship, Vladivostok, became known.
It is noteworthy that, despite the Russian-French nature of the agreement, the construction of two Mistrals for the Russian Navy is de facto being carried out at the STX shipyard, owned by South Korea! A large-scale international project involving a good half of the world. The total value of the contract, according to open sources, amounted to 1.7 billion euros.

The second important news was announced in September: the Russian Defense Ministry decided to hold an unusual auction. Lot is the largest landing ship of the Russian Navy to date, the last BDK of project 1174 (code "Rhino").

Million dollars!

Million dollars. Who is bigger?

Two million!

Two million times! Two million two...

And "Mitrofan Moskalenko" went under the hammer.

However, the results of this farce are known in advance - Mitrofan Moskalenko will not cost more than $ 2.5 million - this is the maximum market value of 11 thousand tons of steel structures of the old ship's hull. The last of the large Soviet large landing ships is being sold at the price of ordinary scrap metal.
To a reasonable question: Why are you doing this? - representatives of the Ministry of Defense found a well-reasoned answer:

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to write off and scrap the Mitrofan Moskalenko large landing craft, primarily for economic reasons. Its repair would have cost the sum of at least two small artillery ships. And from a strategic point of view, its demand is not obvious - Russia is not going to land amphibious assault anywhere yet

Everything is going as usual. It would seem, what does the purchase of an ultra-modern helicopter carrier in France have to do with the tragicomedy with the disposal of old Soviet rubbish? A source in the Ministry of Defense is absolutely right: given the current state of the Russian Navy and the general geopolitical situation in the world, amphibious assaults are possible only in the form of joint operations by the forces of Russia and NATO countries. Obviously, this is contrary to the foreign policy interests of Russia, and, consequently, the landing ships of the Russian Navy are not needed in principle.

The economic factor is also important - the repair of the old large landing craft "Mitrofan Moskalenko" will cost the same as the construction of two new small artillery ships ... Stop!
Compare MAC and BDK? Guys, this sounds as ridiculous as the advertising slogan: "Buy a car and get a baseball cap as a gift." MAK and "Mitrofan Moskalenko" are things of two different categories. A 14,000 ton universal ocean-going ship and a 500 ton coastal boat with primitive armament.

Are you saying that the repair of Moskalenko costs the same as the construction of two new small artillery ships? According to official data, the construction of the Astrakhan small artillery ship (the lead MAK of Project 21630 Buyan) cost Russia 372 million rubles. Or about 10 million if you count in European currency. Two small artillery ships - 20 million euros.
For comparison: the purchase of each "Mistral" cost Russia 800 million euros!
But is it correct to compare an outdated Soviet-built trough and an ultra-modern French ship?

Mistral-type amphibious assault helicopter carrier-dock

Standard displacement 16500 tons.
Full displacement 21300 tons.
Length 199 m, width 32 m, draft 6.3 m.
Power plant: three 32-cylinder ship diesel generators (Vyartisla, Finland).
Propulsion: two rudder propellers of the Azipod type (Rolls-Royce, UK).
Maximum speed 18.8 knots.
Cruising range: 10,700 nautical miles at an economic speed of 15 knots.

Landing capabilities:
- docking chamber, 4 landing craft type CTM or 2 high-speed landing craft hovercraft type LCAC;
- flight deck, helicopter hangar, two lifts. Up to 16 units of large aircraft: combat, transport or multi-purpose helicopters (foreign NH-90, Tiger; domestic Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-52 Alligator).
- "Mistral" is capable of taking on board a tank battalion - 40 MBT "Leclerc" or up to 280 units of trucks and light armored vehicles.
- personnel quarters are designed to accommodate 450 marines (with the possibility of a short-term increase to 900 people).

Defensive weapons: two Simbad self-defense air defense systems (based on MANPADS), two automatic guns of 30 mm caliber.

Dixmude (L9015) in Jounieh Bay (Lebanon)

"Mistral" is simply charming. Automated "all-electric vessel", requiring minimal logistical support. A universal "democratizer" capable of urgently delivering a battalion of marines, equipment and equipment to any area of the World Ocean. Cargo ramps, speedboats and helicopters.

The grandiose flagship command post: amphitheater with an area of 900 square meters. meters, 160 operator jobs, satellite communications. Effective management of a naval formation or any combined-arms landing operation.

Equipped hospital with an area of 750 sq. meters with the possibility of increasing according to the modular principle, due to other premises of the ship. If necessary, the work of 100 medical staff in 12 operating rooms can be provided here.

The most modern means of detection: the three-dimensional radar Thales MRR-3D-NG, which provides control of the air situation within a radius of 180 km from the side of the ship. Or the Vampir NG infrared search and targeting system, capable of detecting and taking on escort low-flying anti-ship missiles and high-speed boats at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.

The Mistral is a really cool ship, a real step forward in terms of crew and landing accommodation. The latest electronics and control systems, a spacious flight deck. Spacious holds and comfortable cockpits. A real amphibious helicopter carrier-dock of the 21st century.

Project 1174 large landing ship (code "Rhino")

Standard displacement 11,500 tons;
Full displacement 14,000 tons;
Length 157.5 m, width 24 m, draft 6.7 m.
GEM: two M8K gas turbine units (2 x 18,000 hp);
Maximum speed 21 knots.
Cruising range: 7500 nautical miles at an economic speed of 14 knots.

Landing capabilities:

"Rhino" is able to take on board up to 2500 tons of cargo: in the bow of the BDK there is a tank hold (length 54 m, width 12 m, height about 5 m), in the stern of the ship there is a dock chamber (length 75 m, width 12 m, height about 10 m).

The BDK ensures the transportation and disembarkation of a motorized rifle battalion, including 440 people and 79 pieces of equipment (armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, tanks, cars, etc.). In the absence of landing craft in the docking chamber, the Rhino can take on board a tank unit with 46 main battle tanks. Autonomy - 15 days when transporting 500 paratroopers or 30 days when transporting 250 paratroopers.

Bow gangway 32 meters long with hydraulic drive. Landing with non-floating equipment can be carried out directly on an unequipped coast with a fording depth at the gangway head of no more than 1.2 m. According to statistics, BDK pr.

Cargo ramp for receiving and disembarking troops on an equipped pier.

To unload non-floating equipment without approaching the shore, six landing craft pr. 1176 (capacity 1 MBT, speed 10-11 knots) or three high-speed landing boats on an air cavity pr. 11770 "Serna" (speed up to 27 knots with waves 3 points).

Aviation armament: two helipads with refueling systems, up to 4 Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters can be based on the ship.
Also, Rhino is equipped with a system for receiving liquid and solid cargoes at sea.

Built-in weapons:
- SAM short-range "Osa-M" (ammunition 20 missiles);
- twin artillery mount AK-726 caliber 76 mm;
- two batteries of anti-aircraft guns AK-630;
- two multiple launch rocket systems A-215 "Grad-M" for artillery support of the landing.

Monumental ship! Predatory “jaws” of the bow gate, constructive trim to the stern, heavy developed superstructure. In general, a real Rhino!

Back in 1978, the Navy of the Soviet Union received a unique marine equipment - an unparalleled universal landing ship capable of landing marine units both directly on an equipped or unequipped coast, and without approaching the coast: floating equipment - directly on the water, non-floating - to deliver to the shore in landing craft. At the same time, the landing personnel could be delivered to any place on the coast with the help of transport and combat helicopters on board.

However, the role of the "Rhino" was not limited to the delivery and landing of troops - if necessary, the ship could provide solid fire support to the Marines: two installations of the Grad-M MLRS (2 x 40 guides of 122 mm caliber, reload time - 2 minutes) and a bow 76 mm twin artillery system AK-726. It even had its own Osa-M air defense system!

Unlike everyone's favorite "Mistral", the large landing craft "Rhino" really has less autonomy and less efficiency when conducting landing operations on the other side of the Earth. But was it really that important? At one time, the Soviet Navy had naval bases and logistics points around the world - from Vietnam and Cuba to Somalia. As for the modern Russian Navy, our sailors will obviously not have to land troops in French Polynesia - the higher autonomy of the Mistral will remain unclaimed. In other words, in terms of cruising range and autonomy, the Mistral in Russian conditions has no advantages over the old BDK of project 1174.

The carrying capacity and capacity of the Mistral is naturally greater - it is 1.5 times larger than the Rhinoceros. But is the advantage of the French ship so noticeable? Advertising booklets claim 120 vehicles aboard the Soviet large landing craft and 280 vehicles aboard the Mistral.
But, it is important to understand that a warship is not a vehicle for ferrying used foreign cars from Japan. Paratroopers going into battle require a very specific technique - TANKS. Practice shows that it is problematic and dangerous to engage in battle without the support of heavy armored vehicles. The landing party definitely needs MBT.

How many main battle tanks will fit on board the Mistral and the Rhino?
The answer is paradoxical: the same! On average - one battalion in the composition of 40 MBT. It seems that not every cargo deck on the Mistral will withstand the weight of a 50-ton combat tracked vehicle. True, in this case, the "Rhino" will also have trouble - they will have to abandon the landing craft, placing the tanks in an empty docking chamber.
(There are various pessimistic assumptions that the maximum number of MBTs on board the Mistral cannot exceed 5 ... no more than 32 tons)

As for aviation weapons, the domestic BDK, of course, is a net loser: 3 times fewer landing sites, only four helicopters. But what does it matter in real life? - for a real amphibious operation, tens of times more rotorcraft are required. Let's take as an example the Falklands conflict - a local naval battle on the edge of the Earth. However, the operation involved ... 130 British helicopters!

The Soviet landing ship has its own important advantage - a solid set of built-in weapons. The mass installed on board the BDK exceeds 100 tons - the Rhino bristled on all sides with missile launchers and artillery barrels.

Of course, no one has any illusions about the combat capabilities of the obsolete Osa-M air defense system ... but what prevents the complex from being dismantled and replaced with something else? For example, the compact ship-based air defense system "Shtil". Not satisfied with the 26-ton AK-726 artillery mount? Change it to the new larger caliber A-192 system. And what prevents the installation of the Broadsword rocket-artillery complex instead of the AK-630 metal-cutting battery?
Finally, multiple launch rocket systems "Grad". The legendary weapon, even after half a century, remains one of the deadliest rocket and artillery systems and hardly needs to be replaced.

You will say that this is a very expensive proposal, a radical reworking of the Rhino project will be required ... well, so, it is planned to spend 800 million euros on the purchase of each Mistral. There is confidence that half of this colossal amount would be enough to modernize the old Rhino large landing craft.

As a result, we are witnessing an interesting situation: based on the realities of the Russian Navy, the old Soviet BDK corresponds to its overseas competitor in most of the declared characteristics. Moreover, the Rhino is much more preferable when performing the main task of landing ships - delivering heavy equipment and armored vehicles to the shore (everything else can be done by ordinary container ships and destroyers). Unlike the Mistral, he does not need to spend time moving tanks from cargo decks to landing craft with their subsequent unloading on the coast. Filling the docking chamber with water, mooring boats... too long and laborious operation.

The "Rhino" will simply approach the shore, stick the bow gangway into the sand and disembark the equipment under its own power. Don't let the statistics scare you that only 17% of the coast of the World Ocean is suitable for landing through the bow gangway of the BDK (suitable bottom slope, soil type, etc.) - in reality, this means hundreds of thousands of kilometers of coastline. A suitable place can always be found.

However, it's not even about the number of guns and tanks aboard the Rhino or the Mistral. Those articles on the national economy, which the author managed to read, unequivocally testify: the most profitable investment of funds is investment in one's own production. Protectionism, protection of domestic producers, customs barriers - all this is a real confirmation of this theory.

To avoid unhealthy associations, we note that the following passage does not apply to the "Rhinoceros".
Sometimes it doesn't matter that domestic equipment is inferior to foreign counterparts in terms of performance characteristics - the main thing is that it was built in Russia. Domestic shipyards and factories are busy with work, the well-being of the population is growing. Simple, intuitive conclusions.

The International Naval Show taking place in St. Petersburg has become a source of the most important news in the domestic shipbuilding industry. The representative of the command of the Russian Navy announced plans to build two helicopter carriers and one aircraft carrier.

To replace the Mistrals

Since 2015, discussions have not ceased in Russia about the need to replace the French Mistral-type helicopter carriers, which Paris refused to give to Moscow under the pretext of the “aggressive policy of the Kremlin.” As a result, two dock ships without weapons and helicopters were transferred to Egypt.

Today we can say with confidence that the intrigue that had lasted two years has been resolved. Vice Admiral Viktor Bursuk, Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy for armaments, confirmed that the construction of two Priboy UDCs was included in the state armaments program (GPV) for 2018-2025.

Model of the landing ship "Priboy"
RIA News
Alexander Wilf

On May 25, 2017, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov told reporters that two helicopter carriers were included in the SAP until 2025 (which is still under discussion). However, he did not specify what project he was talking about.

On June 28, in an interview with TASS, Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Igor Ponomarev said that Priboy-class ships would be built at the facilities of two St. Petersburg enterprises - Severnaya Verf and Baltiysky Zavod, as well as at Sevmash (Arkhangelskaya region).

"Surf" was first presented at the international forum "Army-2015". The Russian Defense Ministry said that the project could become an alternative to French ships. “On the Priboy, everything will be domestic: landing craft, an air wing, and weapons systems,” the agency said in a statement.

The displacement of the UDC will be 14 thousand tons with a draft of 5 meters. The ship's maximum speed is 20 knots (cruising is 15-16 knots), cruising range is 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km), cruise autonomy is 60 days. The anti-aircraft defense of the Priboy will be held by the sea-based anti-aircraft complex Pantsir-M.

Up to 8 anti-submarine and landing helicopters Ka-27 and Ka-52K will be placed on the deck of the Priboy. Also, the universal ship will be able to carry four Project 11770M Serna landing craft and two Project 12061M Murena landing craft.

It is assumed that the "Priboy" will accommodate about 500 paratroopers and up to 60 units of various military equipment, including 20-30 tanks. The author of the project is the Nevsky Design Bureau (PKB).

Increased need

"Priboy", like any other modern universal landing ship, will perform the widest range of tasks. In the conditions of modern warfare, the UDC is an indispensable maritime transport, control ship and means of patrolling the far sea and ocean zone.

The appearance of two Surfs will significantly enhance the expeditionary capabilities of the Russian Navy. The need for long-range military campaigns has objectively grown in connection with the start of the Syrian operation and the creation of new bases in the Far East.

Domestic UDCs should become a full-fledged alternative to the French Sevastopol and Vladivostok helicopter carriers, which Russia never received from France. Meanwhile, there is an opinion in the expert community that two ships like a class are still not enough.

Helicopter carrier "Mistral"
Yannick Le Bris/Wikimedia Commons

In mid-June 2015, Anatoly Shlemov, head of the USC State Defense Order Department, said that Russia needed 6-8 helicopter carriers. Two years ago, the Ministry of Defense estimated the needs of the Navy at least four "Priboy", however, the department did not indicate the timing of their construction.

At the moment, it is known that by 2025 the Navy will receive two UDCs. The implementation of the Priboy project will be a difficult task for Russian shipbuilders, who have never built ships of this class. (In the Soviet years, all aircraft-carrying ships were built at the Black Sea plant in Ukrainian Nikolaev. — RT).

However, Russian shipyards gained a lot of experience working in cooperation with the French corporation Chantiers de l'Atlantique, which built Mistrals for the Navy. Domestic enterprises performed part of the assembly work, and engineers had the opportunity to observe the construction of ships at the shipyards of France.

The editor-in-chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, Viktor Murakhovsky, in an interview with RT, suggested that it would take at least 5 years to build two Surfs. The cost of the contract with USC, in his opinion, will be approximately $ 1 billion (excluding helicopter equipment and weapons).

In general, the cost of domestic UDC will be comparable to the money that was paid to Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Recall that the French corporation received $ 1.2 billion from the Russian Ministry of Defense. Armament, helicopters and part of the equipment were produced at Russian enterprises - this was one of the key conditions of the contract.

Clean aircraft carrier

In addition to helicopter carriers, the project 23000 Shtorm multi-purpose aircraft carrier is called upon to ensure a strong presence of the Navy in the waters of the World Ocean. For the first time this project was demonstrated in closed mode in July 2013. Its developer is the Krylov State Research Center (KGNTs).

Currently, Russia has one aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov (project 1143.5), which was launched in 1987. However, the ship belongs to the class of aircraft-carrying cruisers and is not a pure aircraft carrier.

For comparison: on the deck of the "Storm" can be placed 80-90 units of aircraft, and on the deck of the "Admiral Kuznetsov" - no more than 52 aircraft and helicopters.

"Storm" will significantly exceed the dimensions of the aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov". The displacement of the ship will be 90-100 thousand tons (against 50-60 thousand tons), length - 330 m (against 270 m), width at the waterline - 40 m (against 33 m).

An important feature of the "Storm" will be a nuclear power plant, which provides the ship with almost unlimited autonomy of movement.

The cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov" during the passage of the aircraft carrier group of the Russian Northern Fleet
RIA News

At Kuznetsov, the power plant runs on fuel oil. On the one hand, it increases the survivability of the ship, on the other hand, it negatively affects the speed and range.

At the ongoing naval show in St. Petersburg, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that the contract for the construction of an aircraft carrier is planned to be signed by the end of 2025. However, he did not name the shipyards that will participate in the project.

According to foreign media, the command of the Russian Navy expects to receive at least two Storms in the future. The construction of the lead cruiser will cost $6.2 billion (excluding aircraft and armaments), the second ship will cost less.

An epic task

The editor-in-chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, Viktor Murakhovsky, drew attention to the fact that the appearance of three aircraft-carrying ships in the Navy will require the construction of warships of the first and second ranks (with a displacement of over 3 and 4 thousand tons).

The expert believes that destroyers of project 23560 "Leader" will probably accompany the helicopter carriers and aircraft carriers on campaigns.

“To escort one aircraft carrier, 4-5 frigates or corvettes and one submarine are required. “Leader” would unequivocally solve these tasks, but whether this project will be included in the SAP before 2025 is still unclear,” Murakhovsky stated.

Vice Admiral Viktor Bursuk said that the project for destroyers would be developed at the Northern Design Bureau (Petersburg). However, the Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy did not announce the timing of the start of production.

Cruiser "Admiral Kuznetsov"
RIA News

In turn, Viktor Murakhovsky hopes that in the future the Russian Navy will acquire about four Priboy-type UDCs, as the Ministry of Defense planned in 2015: “Helicopter carriers are important for the Russian Federation, primarily for supplying exclaves and remote bases with everything necessary. Therefore, we will need two ships in the Pacific and one in the Baltic. And one more UDC should be on duty in the Black or Mediterranean Sea.

“The implementation of such projects will require large-scale expenditures. The cost of an air wing, equipment, material and time costs for the training of pilots and sailors cannot be discounted. This is a daunting task in the current environment. We will probably manage, but I would not draw far-reaching conclusions today, ”summed up Murakhovsky.

Landing helicopter-carrying ship-dock (DVKD) / universal landing ship-helicopter carrier / VRS (Vâtiments de Projection et de Commandment - projection and control ship). The development of the project of the ship began in 1997 as part of the research of the concept of the initial ship for amphibious landing operations - CNOA (Concept National des Operations Amphibies, France). The purpose of the ship is the landing of military units, the provision of helicopter flights, the command center of the operation of heterogeneous forces, the ship-hospital. On December 24, 2010, an agreement was announced with a consortium consisting of the French company DCNS and the Russian USC. Upon the transfer of the ships, France will transfer to the Russian side all the technologies it was interested in. The protocol of intent was signed on June 10, 2011 in Paris, the signing of the final contract took place within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 17, 2011. According to the agreement, it is planned to build two helicopter carriers in France and two in Russia. Also, "Baltiysky Zavod" (St. Petersburg) was ordered to build part of the hull sections and the first two ships of the series (12 block sections of the stern parts of the ships). On October 1, 2012, the official construction of the Russian part of the sections of the lead ship for the Russian Navy - Vladivostok - began at the Baltic Shipyard.

The design of the ship variant for the Russian Navy (BPC Russe) is being carried out in two stages. The first stage - preliminary design - was completed in April 2012. The technical design of the ship should be completed in September 2012. The project provides for modification to accommodate Russian aviation equipment, Russification of user interfaces and adaptation of the ship and flight deck for winter operation (deck electric heating, etc.). P.).

http://www.shipspotting.com/).

The start of work on assembling the first section of the first ship for the Russian Navy at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire - February 1, 2012 ship hull assembly. As of April 23, 2012, Baltiysky Zavod received the final rolled metal order sheet for buildings (1 and 2), the rest of the documents required to start work will be received by the enterprise on June 1, 2012. In July 2012, the French company STX France delivered to the Admiralty shipyards a 3D model of the floating parts of the Mistral helicopter carrier's hull and the first batch of technical documentation for the ship's design. The Admiralty shipyards, without violating the design of the future ship, redesigned the project so that it could be implemented at the facilities of the Baltic Shipyard. Metal cutting for the first hulls at the Baltic Shipyard began on August 1, 2012. The laying of blocks under construction in Russia for the first ship is expected on October 1, 2012.

The official laying of the first ship BPC Russe will take place on February 1, 2013 in Saint-Nazaire - the first bow section will be placed in the dry dock, where the ship will be assembled. The delivery of the first ship is scheduled for November 1, 2014 (as of October 2013, ), the second - in 2015.

Service maintenance and technical inspection of the Russian Mistral helicopter carriers were to be carried out at the facilities of the Wartsila representative office in St. Petersburg (media report dated February 14, 2012).

In 2014, the contract for the supply of ships was suspended and later terminated. In September, the ships were sold to Egypt, where they received the names Gamal Abdel Nasser (former Vladivostok) and Anwar al-Sadat (former Sevastopol).

Design- in the version for the Russian Navy, it is planned to make some changes in the design of the ship:
- strengthening of the hull sides for operation in northern latitudes in ice conditions;
- provision of flight deck heating for operation in winter conditions;
- increase in the height of the hangar opening in the area of lift elevators for basing helicopters of the Ka-29 type;
- it is planned to install Russian-made weapons on the ship.

The sides of the ship's hull are not armored.

Helicopter carriers Mistral L9013 and Tonnerre L9014 of the French Navy (photo by Pascal Fournier, Marine Nationale, http://en.dcnsgroup.com).

Propulsion system:
- 2 x Alstom Mermaid propellers with a capacity of 10200 hp each with 5-bladed propellers;
- 3 x Wartsila 16V32 diesel generators with a capacity of 2.075 MW each
- 1 x diesel generator Wartsila 18V200 with a capacity of 3.3 MW

Thrusters in the bow of the hull.

Steering column DVKD "Vladivostok" type Mistral. Before launching. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France. October 15, 2013 (photo - Daniil Nizamutdinov, http://en.ria.ru).

Landing helicopter-carrying ship-dock "Vladivostok" of the Mistral type for the Russian Navy shortly before launching. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France. September 2013 (photo - AFP, http://legatus-minor.livejournal.com/).

TTX of the ship:
Crew - 160 people (including 20 officers)

Length - 199 m
Waterline length - 189 m
Width at the waterline - 32 m
Height - 64.3 m
Draft - 6.3 m
Hangar area for aviation equipment - 1800 sq.m

Displacement standard - 16500 t
Full displacement - 21300 tons
Maximum displacement - 32300 tons

Full speed - 19 knots
Cruise speed - 18 knots
Economic speed - 15 knots
Range:
- 10800 miles (speed 18 knots)
- 19800 miles (speed 15 knots)
Autonomy - 30 days

landing 450 people, evacuation - up to 900 people. As well as up to 150 staff members .
Payload weight - 1100 t
Cargo deck size - 122 x 13.5 x 7.7 m

Armament: in the version for the Russian Navy, Russian-made weapons. On February 16, 2012, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Vysotsky told the media that "on the Mistrals, which are being built for the Russian Navy, it is possible to place weapons with a special Russian-designed warhead." Probably, we are talking about the possibility of placing on ships some strike systems with nuclear warheads. It is also possible that this statement was made solely for the purpose of PR.

	"Mistral"	"Mistral" of the Russian Navy
SAM	2 x 2 Simbad SAM launchers	2 combat modules 3R89 ZRAK "" with 2 x 2 x 4 launchers ZUR 9M340 (presumably not confirmed)
MANPADS		2 installations 3M47 "Gibka" with missiles "Igla"
Auxiliary armament	4 x 12.7mm Browning machine guns	4 x 12.7 mm machine guns
ZRAK / AK	2 x 30mm Breda-Mauser gun mounts	2 x , ammunition load 2 x 2000 rounds
Jamming
Other

Design image of a variant of the BPC Russe project. In the bow of the ship, you can see the AK-630 and 3M47 "Gibka" installations (DCNS, http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Air wing: the ship is designed to base up to 16 helicopters weighing 12 tons each / 32 light helicopters. The Russian Navy plans to base 8 attack helicopters (tested in early September 2011 on the ships of the Northern Fleet of the Navy) and 8 Ka-29 assault helicopters.

In the version for the French Navy, the ship carries up to 16 helicopters - the standard composition of the air group is 8 landing helicopters NH90 and 8 attack helicopters "Tiger".

Equipment:

	"Mistral"	"Mistral" of the Russian Navy
BIUS	Zenit-9 / Senit-9	Zenit-9 / Senit-9
Radar for detecting air and surface targets	MRR3D-NG target acquisition radar	likewise?
Navigation radars	2 x navigation radar DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250	likewise?
Navigation inertial system
Electronic countermeasures
GAK / GAS
Surveillance		Ultra-long-range infrared optronic search and sighting system Vampir NG manufactured by Sagem (the contract for equipping the first two ships was signed by September 28, 2012). The system provides passive all-round panoramic surveillance of the surface situation, automatic detection, tracking and informing about various types of threats, from anti-ship missiles with a flat trajectory to high-speed ships. The system has two modes of operation: - "ocean" mode for long-range observation on the high seas, - "coastal" regime for coastal water areas.
Laser detection station
Communication complex	Syracuse satellite communication system	Syracuse satellite communication system?
General operational management system

Price ship for 2010 about 900 million euros.

Status: Russia

Helicopter carrier Mistral L9013 after launching, Brest, October 6, 2004 (photo from Rama archive, http://commons.wikimedia.org).

French Navy helicopter carrier Tonnerre L9014, 07/24/2007 (photo by Beotien Lambda, http://commons.wikimedia.org).

French Navy helicopter carrier Tonnerre L9014 (http://www.venik4.com).

Helicopter carrier Mistral L9013 during a visit to St. Petersburg in November 2009 (photo - Vitaly Kuzmin, http://vitaly.livejournal.com).

- 2011 June 17 - Rosoboronexport and DCNS Corporation (France) signed a contract for the supply of the first two Mistral helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy. The contract amount is 1.2 billion euros, incl. 980 million euros directly cost the ships.

December 2, 2011 - USC and Baltic Shipyard signed a contract for the manufacture of floating parts of the hulls of two (2) Mistral helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy. The amount of the contract is 2.5 billion rubles.

December 09, 2011 - information appeared on the start of work on changing the technical documentation for the Mistral project to meet the requirements of the Russian Navy. We are talking about changing the height of a part of the hangar to ensure the basing of Ka-29 helicopters and providing heating for the flight deck.

December 22, 2011 - Russian Defense Minister A. Serdyukov told the media that the second pair of Mistral helicopter carriers would probably be built at the Sevmash Production Association (Severodvinsk).

February 1, 2012 - the first Mistral helicopter carrier for the Russian Navy was laid down at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. At the same time, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Vysotsky announced that the first two ships of this type would be named Sevastopol and Vladivostok.

April 20, 2012 - information appeared in the media that in August 2012 it is planned to start cutting metal for sections of the hulls of the first ship of the series at the Baltic Shipyard. The laying of the first section is scheduled for October 1, 2012. Metal cutting for the second ship of the series is scheduled for May 2013. We are talking about hull sections that will be produced at the Baltic Shipyard for the first two French-assembled ships.

2012 October 1 - at the "Baltic Shipyard" in St. Petersburg, the construction of the Russian part of the sections of the head DVKD "Vladivostok" for the Russian Navy was officially started.

- 2013 January 24 - critical notes appeared in the media on the decision of the previous leadership of the Ministry of Defense to purchase Mistral helicopter carriers. Media reports that the decision to build or refuse to build the third and fourth helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy will be made in 2016.

February 01, 2013 - according to the media, in an atmosphere of high secrecy, the official laying of the first BPC Russe ship in Saint-Nazaire (France) took place - the first bow section (,) was placed in the dry dock, where the ship will be assembled.

February 5, 2013 - Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Russia D.O. Rogozin told reporters that Russia does not produce fuel for Mistral helicopter carriers. Later, he also stated that he actually meant something else. At the same time, in November 2009, when the helicopter carrier called in St. Petersburg, Baltic Bunker Company LLC was bunkering this vessel, supplying it with 450 tons of diesel fuel (MGO 0.1). PortNews IAA also informs that representatives of physical suppliers of bunker fuel in Russia interviewed by PortNews IAA did not agree with the statement about the lack of the necessary fuel. Mistral-type ships run on diesel fuel and fuel oil of the IFO-180 brand, - one of the largest bunkering companies in the North-West of Russia confirmed to PortNews IAA, - the so-called "NATO" specification of marine fuels is no different from ISO standards, as well as GOSTs and specifications for the production of marine fuel in Russia. As for the type of engines, a large percentage of ships in the world run on similar engines. Therefore, any bunkering company can physically supply fuel to such a vessel in Russia, the interlocutors of the agency are sure ().

http://www.meretmarine.com via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, June 2013 (photo - Vincent Groizeleau, published 06/20/2013, http://www.meretmarine.com via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

- 2013 June 19 - in France, construction began on the second DVKD of the Mistral type for the Russian Navy ().

June 26, 2013 - "Baltiysky Zavod" plans to launch the aft part of the Mistral-type DKVD, which is being built at the plant. Earlier, some media reported on the transfer of the construction of sections of ships for the Russian Navy to France in connection with the alleged failure to meet construction deadlines (). The launch of the stern part of the DVKD according to the plan took place on 06/26/2013. The launch of the lead ship is planned on 10/15/2013.

http://www.fontanka.ru).

The ceremony of launching the stern of the head DVKD Mistral for the Russian Navy, St. Petersburg, "Baltic Plant", 06/26/2013 (photo - Igor Russak, http://ria.ru).

The ceremony of launching the stern part of the head DVKD Mistral for the Russian Navy, St. Petersburg, "Baltiysky Zavod", 06/26/2013 (http://www.fontanka.ru).

The stern of the head DVKD Mistral for the Russian Navy, St. Petersburg, "Baltic Plant", early July 2013 (photo - http://pfc-joker.livejournal.com).

- July 7, 2013 - the aft part of the Vladivostok DVKD built at the Baltic Shipyard was sent to France on July 6 to assemble the ship. As part of the work to saturate the hull of the first DVKD, the Baltic Shipyard installed foundations for propeller-steering columns, aft and side ramps, lifting platforms for helicopters, an ammunition lift, and hangar clinket gates. A room for ballast pumps was equipped, towing and mooring equipment was installed for transporting the hull to Saint-Nazaire. All hatches and doors provided for by the project have been installed, electrical equipment has been installed (cable trays and foundations for electrical appliances). Also, the hull was saturated with pipes of ballast, sewage and fire systems. The total length of the pipes is about 5 thousand meters ().

July 23, 2013 - the stern part of the Vladivostok DVKD arrived at its dream destination in Saint-Nazaire (France).

The aft part of the Vladivostok DVKD arrived in Saint-Nazaire, France, on July 23, 2013 (photo - DCNS via http://ria.ru).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, July 23, 2013 (photo - Gilbert Cailler, http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1843349).

The docking of the DVKD "Vladivostok" hull - the Mistral-type DVKD for the Russian Navy - has been completed. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, July 25, 2013 (photo by STX France via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Docking of the DVKD "Vladivostok" hull - Mistral-type DVKD for the Russian Navy - has been completed. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, July 25, 2013 (photo by STX France via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Sevastopol" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 08/10/2013 (photo - Christophe Dedieu, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 09/08/2013 (photo - Christian Plague, http://www.shipspotting.com/ via http://prokhor-tebin.livejournal.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" of the Mistral type for the Russian Navy before launching. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France. October 15, 2013 (photo - Daniil Nizamutdinov, http://en.ria.ru).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, October 21, 2013 (photo - brunoh, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, October 21, 2013 (photo - Gilbert Cailler, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Sevastopol" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 01/02/2014 (photo - Christian Plague, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Sevastopol" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 01/25/2014 (photo - Christian Plague, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

- January 31, 2014 - the media stated that USC will take about 1 year to integrate domestic systems at the Vladivostok DVKD. The integration of weapons systems and avionics will be carried out in Kronstadt.

Register of Mistral helicopter carriers(06/26/2013):

No. pp	Name	head №	factory	laid down	launched into the water	entered service	Status
01	Mistral L9013		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	10.07.2003	06.10.2004	February 2006
02	Tonnerre L9014			26.08.2004	26.07.2005	December 2006	French Navy, port of registry Toulon
03	Dixmude L9015		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	18.04.2009	10.12.2010	expected in May 2012 01/03/2012	transferred to the French Navy three months ahead of schedule, port of registry Toulon
04	Gamal Abdel Nasser Former No. 1 for the Russian Navy "Vladivostok" (according to the statement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy dated 02/01/2012)		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	2011 planned 02/01/2012 (construction of sections) 02/01/2013 (official bookmark, assembly)	plan - 10/15/2013 (06/26/2013) 10/15/2013 (actual)	planned 2014 (2012) plan 01.11.2014 (04.10.2013)	readiness of the ship - 36 months from the date of laying
05	Anwar al Sadat Former No. 2 for the Russian Navy "Sevastopol" (according to the statement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy dated February 1, 2012)		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	2012 planned (as of 2011) 06/19/2013 (construction started) plan - 07/04/2013 (official bookmark, 06/26/2013)	plan - October 2014 (June 2013)	planned 2015 (2012)	on order, port of registry Vladivostok, Pacific Fleet readiness of the ship - 36 months from the date of laying
06	No. 3 for the Russian Navy		possibly LAO, St. Petersburg, manufacturing of floating parts of the hull - "Baltic Plant". 22.12.2011 announced the possible construction at the Production Association "Sevmash"	-	-	-	Pacific Fleet or Northern Fleet, the decision on construction will be made in 2016 (01/24/2013)
07	No. 4 for the Russian Navy		possibly LAO, St. Petersburg, manufacturing of floating parts of the hull - "Baltic Plant" 22.12.2011 announced the possible construction at the Production Association "Sevmash"	-	-	-	Pacific Fleet or Northern Fleet, the decision on construction will be made in 2016 (01/24/2013)

Italic hypothesized data.

Sources:

"Baltic Plant" began cutting for the hull of the first "Mistral". Website http://flotprom.ru, 2012
Wikipedia is the free encyclopedia. Site http://ru.wikipedia.org, 2011
The French are changing the technical documentation for "our" Mistrals. http://navy-rus.livejournal.com, 12/08/2011
B.P.C. Russe. http://bmpd.livejournal.com/292022.html, 2012
Lenta.Ru. 2010-2012

The pearl of the French Navy, which was dubbed the “Swiss knife” for its versatility, should be sold to Russia in the amount of four pieces. Neighboring countries are concerned.

"Mistral"

"Honor" and "Motherland". These two mottos are emblazoned on the deck of the ship. Standing on the captain's bridge, it seems that you are at the top of the tower. Its length is 200 meters, weight is 21,000 tons, and despite this, it floats. This is the Mistral, the largest French warship after the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. One of the pearls of the French navy, which makes countries turn pale with envy, seeking to gain influence and military authority. The massive gray ship looks like a giant shoebox floating heavily on the waves. Sometimes its belly opens like a whale's mouth and takes in boats and military equipment. It is so strong that it can carry 16 heavy helicopters, 4 landing barges and 70 vehicles, including 13 Leclerc tanks. And also place a crew of 650 people on board.

Its code name is BPC (from "batiment de projection et de commandement" - "helicopter carrier landing ship"). It is also called the "Swiss knife". Indeed, with a crew of 177 people, he can do anything. Landing troops in the theater of operations, transporting battle tanks, being the site of an integrated command post, a means to intimidate pirates ... It is very mobile, has amphibious properties, and a hospital is equipped on board: two operating rooms, 69 beds, an X-ray room and tomograph. He is part of a "family" of three French helicopter carriers; the other two are the Tonnerre, which entered service in 2007, and the under construction and upcoming Dixmude.

In the command center with an area of 800 sq. m. computers are now connected to a secret NATO network, in preparation for the upcoming NATO exercises in Denmark. In the combat compartment, giant screens show the situation at sea in the exercise area in real time. The controls on the Mistral are so powerful that the ship can coordinate the actions of large naval aviation forces involving several aircraft carriers in real time.

It was these characteristics that aroused the interest of the Kremlin. The Russians, reforming their armed forces and wanting to expand the tactical capabilities of their navy, want to buy four Mistral ships. The deck of the French amphibious assault ship is indeed strong enough to withstand the enormous weight of Russian helicopters. It is smaller in size than its American counterparts and less expensive. In the European market for landing helicopter carriers, the French ship has won a leading position. Even the British do not have such a versatile warship. Invited to the Mistral on the occasion of the French Navy Day, naval attache at the Russian Embassy in Paris, Alexander Dryagin, in a round cap worn by Russian sailors, similar to an umbrella screwed to his head, holding a glass of champagne, which he finds "not strong enough" drink, nods his head. "We are very interested in the versatility of this ship. In Russia, we do not have a ship equipped with both a command center and a hospital. And if we want to build them ourselves, we will need twice as much time."

For the French side, this sale will revive the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, where one or two Mistrals can be built. They say that French Defense Minister Herve Morin personally defended this project in conversations with the head of state. If the sale goes through, it would be the first such transfer of technology by a NATO country to Russia. Both the Elysee Palace and the War Office make a shocking argument: the Cold War is over, the "double standards" against Moscow must be abandoned, "Russia must be treated as a strategic partner and no longer seen as a threat."

These arguments did not convince everyone. Over the course of months, the Mistral even became a "ship of discord." Russia's neighbors are concerned about the possible implications for their security. "The Mistral is a strategic ship that will enhance Russia's ability to conduct amphibious operations in the Black and Baltic Seas, as well as in more remote regions, all the way to Asia," explains one French admiral. Russia's new military doctrine, published a few weeks ago, speaks of NATO expansion as one of the main threats to Russia.

Less than two years after the Georgian war in August 2008, with South Ossetia and Abkhazia still out of Tbilisi’s control, Georgia is all the less understandable for France’s gesture that then EU chairman Nicolas Sarkozy loudly claimed that he prevented Russia from reaching the Georgian capital. From Mikheil Saakashvili's point of view, the sale of the Mistral is a "very risky" undertaking. At the end of 2009, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Vladimir Vysotsky, commented on his country's purchase of a French ship: such a ship would allow the Black Sea Fleet to win the war in Georgia in 2008 "in forty minutes instead of twenty-six hours."

But it is not only the Georgians who are worried. The Baltic countries were annexed by the USSR during World War II. They gained independence only in 1991, and Russian troops were withdrawn from there only three years later. "I'm not sure that the best way to turn the page on the Cold War is to trade weapons from the Hot War," Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins said recently.

Even in Russia, the reaction to the purchase of Mistrals is ambiguous. "This issue has caused controversy in Moscow. Many military leaders would prefer to build helicopter carriers themselves," Marie Mendras, head of the political planning group at the French Foreign Ministry, explained during a seminar recently organized by the Strategic Studies Foundation (FRS). This is a matter of national pride... "Mistral" is huge, but very comfortable. He is very conspicuous. It will be difficult to cover him. But in the end, we had the money, but we didn’t have the technology to build it ourselves, so…,” says Alexander Dryagin, half-skeptical, half-submissive. But the case is not closed yet. March 25 The French defense minister assured that the Mistrals would be delivered without military equipment. This was out of the question, replied Nikolai Makarov, chief of the Russian General Staff. He warned that his country would buy them "only fully equipped - with all means control, navigation and armament".

"Realpolitik"

In addition to economic and military interests, the sale of Mistrals is of great political importance. Nicolas Sarkozy recalls that the West needs Russia to resolve international crises. Paris also wants to appease Russia, which is a major energy supplier. "Some want to restore a kind of "rear alliance", similar to what took place between France and Russia in 1891 to prevent the German threat. This applies to "realpolitik". But what to do if it is carried out to the detriment of Georgia. Russia us closer than China. We need to have long-term concepts for developing relations with it," says one of the Navy officials, who shares the pro-Russian choice of the Elysee Palace. "Mistral" in exchange for tightening the Kremlin's position on the Iranian nuclear dossier? Be that as it may, Dmitry Medvedev said while in Paris in February that the Mistral would become a "symbol of trust" between the two countries.

This approach is shared by some American leaders. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates officially expressed his doubts about the sale of Mistral to Russia during his recent visit to Paris. But he also said that this was not a problem from a military point of view, and did not insist on his position. General James Jones, US national security adviser, recently confirmed to Figaro that "there is no serious disagreement between France and the US" on this issue. "We ourselves have begun an active warming of relations with Russia. Therefore, I do not think that this issue should cause us any strong concern." General Jones added that neither he nor President Obama raised the issue with Nicolas Sarkozy. Even NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen recently said that he considers it a "success" that Mistrals cannot serve to attack one of Russia's neighbors...

Upon arriving at the White House, Obama promised to "reset" relations with Russia. The presidential team needs the Kremlin to move forward on nuclear disarmament and encourage Moscow to approve tougher sanctions against Iran at the UN Security Council, where Russia has veto power. You have to pay for this. And Georgia can become the one who pays. Dialogue with Moscow seems to be more important now than friendship with Tbilisi, where Washington's support is waning. As for the prospect of Georgia joining NATO, it is very distant.

Moscow remains a regional power

From this point of view, it is not very important that the French managed to achieve the construction of only one or two Mistrals in Saint-Nazaire ... The rest will have to be assembled at the Northern Shipyard near St. Petersburg, owned by Russian billionaire Sergei Pugachev, Alexander's father, the new owner of France Soir... It all seems to have been decided a long time ago, as France Soir talked about it already in one of the articles published in the issue of September 24, 2009, even before the release of its updated version...

For now, the controversial sale of the Mistral reminds countries in the region that, militarily, Moscow remains a regional power. The purchase of French ships will also allow Russia to increase its international prestige. Marie Mendra warns: "It is not good to maintain the illusion of the restoration of the Russian zone of influence in neighboring countries. These countries have always been attracted to the European Union, and they know that Russia will not become a guarantor of their security." On the contrary, she says, it will be necessary to "more boldly develop our relations with these countries and develop long-term concepts in this area."

The Egypt Independent publication reported that the Russian-Egyptian deal for Ka-52K carrier-based helicopters (sea version) for two Mistral-type amphibious assault ships (UDC) has entered its final phase. As soon as possible, no later than the end of May, the Arab Republic of Egypt (ARE) will make a final and expected decision.

UDC "Mistral", as you know, can carry up to 16 helicopters, however, most likely, Cairo will order 8 cars per ship. According to available information, work is underway to adapt the Ka-52K to the requirements of the Egyptian side.

In addition to the Alligators, Moscow, firstly, will return to the Mistral the equipment removed after the breach of the well-known contract, secondly, together with Paris, it will provide maintenance for the ships and, thirdly, it will train the Egyptian crews. Thus, we can talk about the beginning of the formation of a new strategic alliance in the Middle East.

Recall that in January 2017, Egypt announced the creation of its Southern Fleet. In addition to the Mistrals built by STX France from Saint-Nazaire (France), it will include the Franco-Italian FREMM multi-purpose frigate, 4 Gowind 2500 class corvettes and 4 German-built Project 209 diesel-electric submarines. Obviously, the capabilities of this group of warships without air support do not correspond to the declared geopolitical ambitions.

In this matter, Russia plays an extremely important role, which, together with France, pushed through a deal to sell "its former" Mistrals specifically to Egypt, whose relations with the United States deteriorated sharply in the summer of 2013 - after the overthrow of the Islamist president Muhammad Morsi. Shameless US interference in the internal affairs of the ARE by supporting the so-called "Arab Spring" became a cold shower for the majority of Egyptians, who realized what an abyss the Americans were pushing them into.

It is logical that Cairo began to prefer Paris and Moscow in matters of military cooperation, which, despite pressure from Washington, were able to maintain business contacts between themselves. Egyptian journalist Ahmed Sayed, tracking the history of the helicopter carriers, noted the special warm relations between the Egyptian, French and Russian specialists working on the ships.

The fact is that the refusal to supply Mistrals to our country negatively affected the reputation of STX France in particular, and the image of the entire military-industrial complex of France. This was evidenced by a survey of French society in 2015, when 72% of the citizens of the 5th Republic were convinced that the observance of military contracts was in the national interest, while their failure was fraught with great economic risks.

That is why Paris did everything to ensure that both the wolves were fed and the sheep were safe. France returned 949.7 million euros in advance to Russia, and in fact transferred three key technologies, including large-block construction of helicopter carriers and watertight protection from Admiralteïski. The newspaper Le monde estimated the value of the design documentation for UDC in the amount of 220 million euros.

At the same time, from a formal point of view, France fulfilled all the requirements of the "Washington regional committee" to boycott Moscow. As a result, the reputation of Paris as a reliable supplier of weapons was restored, which had a positive effect on the results of the French military export system, which was able to sharply increase the volume of deliveries.

From the very beginning of the discussion of the details of the sale of the Mistrals to Egypt, it was clear that the Egyptian sailors would need active support from our Ministry of Defense. The helicopter carriers were built to meet Russian requirements and for Russian systems. It is technically possible to rebuild them to NATO standards, but it is not commercially justified: it is cheaper to send them for scrap.

Anyway, Secretary General for Defense and National Security of the 5th Republic Louis Gauthier, who was the chief negotiator for the French, admitted that many difficult agreements remained behind the scenes, where even emissaries were not allowed Obama. Meanwhile, if we return to the original Russian-French Mistral contract, then the issue of technology transfer was on the agenda of the contract as an integral part of it.

If the Russian Federation wins the helicopter tender (and the probability is very high), then Egyptian specialists will allow Russian naval engineers and designers to access all Mistral systems. This will allow our specialists to understand in practice how NATO helicopter carriers function. Actually, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation does not hide the fact that the experience of such cooperation will be taken into account when developing similar vessels.

Apparently, all participants in the deal keep secret promises, ignoring the shouts from Washington.

By and large, Russia initially planned to build helicopter carriers according to the French project at its shipyards. And ordering first one, and then two UDCs can be considered as a kind of commercial concession. If you call a spade a spade, then Moscow received the documentation for the Mistral for nothing. More precisely - for the money of Cairo.

But it is quite likely that ARE will be the most advantageous side. After the deployment of the Egyptian Southern Fleet, Cairo will become a regional maritime power and will be able to protect the giant gas field recently discovered near its exclusive economic zone. Now Turkey, Israel, Cyprus and Greece claim this asset. As the experience of resolving such disputes shows, warships are the best argument.

Egypt also needs Mistrals to solve current problems, in particular, to protect the trade sea route in the Strait of Aden, as well as to contain Iran and Saudi Arabia in their conflict over the Houthis in Yemen.

Thus, none of the participants in this transaction was left behind. The 5th Republic, disobeying the United States, received additional military contracts; Russia - documentation for the Mistral and a new strategic ally, and Egypt - acquired the status of a maritime power.

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