USC can build a heli-carrier within a reasonable period and at competitive price

30.09.2010 The president of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Roman Trotsenko said in today's interview to Kommersant that there were no technological obstacles for building a helicopter carrier at the corporation's shipyards. "Rumor that Russia could not build such large-size ships is a plain lie; we are able to do that within a reasonable period and at competitive price", said the head of USC.

According to Trotsenko, building of the ship will cost $500-700 mln depending on configuration of comm systems and arms, without consideration of air group and amphibious landing crafts; it will take about 30 months. "Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard can simultaneously build four such vessels, Yantar shipyard – two ships; in the Far East we could start construction of such carrier in spring 2011, after completion of metal-working shop at Zvezda shipyard", Trotsenko said.

A Mistral class ship is anything but unique weapon, it's a common transport facility with Azipod propulsion, said the president of the state-led corporation. According to Trotsenko, ice-breaking tanker Kirill Lavrov recently built by Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard and also powered by Azipod engines is technically more complicated vessel than Mistral.

However, Russia seriously lags in communication and data processing systems, although it is not a shipbuilding problem. "We're seeking for partners successful in this particular area. France is a quite good companion for that. So, joint venture is an optimal decision", said Roman Trotsenko. "When you buy anything in the store, you obtain neither new skills in hands nor new knowledge in head. One could discover new things only by conceptualization".