Russian and French shipbuilders to create consortium

02.11.2010 United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) and French company DCNS agreed to establish consortium in the area of civil and military shipbuilding, reported Roman Trotsenko, USC president.

"We signed a long-term agreement, it implies technological exchange", Trotsenko said.

He did not name tenders which this consortium is about to attend.

Trotsenko pointed out that among other interests of the consortium is building of icebreaking vessels for Arctic exploration supplies.

Patrick Boissier, DCNS director general said in his turn that cooperation between Russian and French state shipbuilding companies will be related with "civil and military ships" which are subject to be tendered.

According to him, the consortium will take part in tenders for any types of ships fitting the shipyards' capabilities.

Boissier did not specify in what tender the new consortium will participate.

Russian defense ministry issued a tender for multipurpose landing ships early in Oct, so Rosoboronexport suspended talks with French corporation DCNS until the tender is over. French shipyards of Saint-Nazaire (builders of Mistral class helicopter carriers) are major candidates to win the Russian tender.

Jacques Hardelay, director general of STX shipyard which builds Mistral ships said to RIA Novosti that in case the contract with Russia is signed the first Mistral would be completed late 2013; the second ship – in 2014. Hardelay considers that Russian shipyards could master production of this ship under French technology in 2016.

Displacement of multipurpose helicopter carrier Mistral is 21,000 tons; extreme hull length is 210 meters; speed is over 18 knots; fuel range is up to 20,000 miles; crew is 160 men; landing party is 450 marines. Air group includes 16 helicopters; six of them can be simultaneously placed on the flight deck. The ship's cargo deck accommodates over 40 tanks or 70 wheeled trucks.