France to Launch First Mistral Ship for Russia in Sept 2013

23.10.2012 French shipyard STX France will launch the first Mistral-class assault landing ship for Russia in Sept 2013, said the yard's representative at the Euronaval-2012 exhibition on Monday.

According to the shipyard's spokesman, the company is building two Mistral ships for Russian Navy under subcontract obtained from the project's main contractor, DCNS. The yard will construct 90% of each ship and after launching move them to naval base Toulon for outfitting, reports ITAR-TASS referring to the official.

As for now, 10 hull sections have been constructed at STX France for the first ship; hull elements for the second one are under construction as well.

According to Vzglyad newspaper, Moscow and Paris signed the contract for two Mistral-class ships in June 2011. The contract value is EUR 1.2 bln.

The first landing ship for Russian Navy was laid down early in Feb 2012.

Russian Mistrals will bear names of Vladivostok and Sevastopol. All of them will be equipped with newest Russian attack and defense weapons, including supersonic cruise missiles.

On Oct 13, chief of Navy Development Planning Dept RADM Vasily Lyashok said that Mistral-class amphibious assault ships would be commissioned into Pacific Fleet in 2014 and 2015.

On Oct 1, Baltiysky Zavod Shipbuilding Ltd (St. Petersburg) began construction of the hull for the first out of two other Mistral ships which Russia will build under French license.

In Aug 2012, Russia started manufacturing of experimental helicopters Ka-52K to be based on Mistral-class ships.

Russian Navy will start employment of crews for those ships on competition basis since 2013.