The Russian Navy is to get four French-designed amphibious assault ships of the Mistral class.
The first two, The Vladivostok and The Sevastopol, are to be built in France. The rest are to be built in Russia. The Vladivostok is already under construction in Saint-Nazaire.
‘We don’t need another unarmed transport ship’
These are words by Russian Admirals who would have their Mistrals armed with something more that several French-installed large-caliber machine guns and Simbad portable anti-aircraft missiles. They say they envisage encounters with superior naval forces and want stronger ant-aircraft and anti-sub weapons installed on their Mistral ships.
The likeliest anti-sub weapon to be chosen is Russia’s Paket-NK. This small underwater shell shooter can also be used to destroy enemy torpedoes.
Mistral’s air wing
Each of the first two Mistral ships will be carrying 16 Russian-made helicopters – 8 Kamov-52K gunships and 8 Kamov-29 military transport craft. However, in the ship’s useful lifetime of 40 years, radically new aircraft are likely to occupy its deck space.
Mistral: what for?
The answer is as follows: these cutting-edge warships, the likes of which have never before been operated by the Russian Navy, will be used for spearheading expeditionary naval operations.
For instance, a Mistral in Russian hands would have made for a much quicker and smoother evacuation of Russian nationals from Libya.
Russia’s Mistrals, together with other naval forces, would also form the proverbial club that should add persuasion to soft diplomatic talk.
Voice of Russia
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