Russia's Mistral class LHDs: updates

[CougarKing]

Even with the impending sale to Egypt, France may have to swallow hard on this deal:

Janes

Cost of Mistral re-sale to French taxpayer revealed

France's Senate released a report on 29 September outlining the cost to the French government and industry of the failed sale of the Mistral-class amphibious assault vessels to Russia.

Should the sale of the vessels to Egypt proceed, the French government is expected to see a shortfall of between EUR200 million (USD200 million) and EUR250 million as a result of the refund to Russia over the cancelled delivery.

French industry will also face some losses under the cancellation, with uninsured expenses such as berthing and maintenance fees, removal of Russian equipment, as well as lost profits, being in the region of EUR90-146 million.

It is expected that the sale of the vessels will go ahead, with delivery of the former vessels Vladivostok and Sevastopol taking place in 2016.

The sale of the vessels to Egypt was announced on 23 September, following the cancellation of the contract between Russia and France for the vessels in August. France agreed to return EUR950 million to Russia on 3 September and took ownership of the vessels as a result of the contract termination.

 

[CougarKing]

And here we have the Mistralski/Lavina class LHD:

It seems that the Russians are following the Chinese into the copycat market.

Navy Recognition

Russia to Go Ahead With Lavina Amphibious Assault Ship Project, Preliminary Design Completed

The Krylov State Research Center completed the preliminary design of the versatile amphibious assault ship for the Russian Navy, the center’s executive director, Mikhail Zagorodnikov, told TASS on Thursday. He also said there is "no doubt" the ship will be developped.

The Krylov State Research Center completed the preliminary design of the versatile amphibious assault ship for the Russian Navy, the center’s executive director, Mikhail Zagorodnikov, told TASS on Thursday. He also said there is "no doubt" the ship will be developped. The Lavina (Avalanche) project was first unveiled during the ARMY-2015 defense exhibiton.

"Krylov Central Scientific Research Institute is developing an alternative to the two Mistral LHDs. Avalanche will have a displacement of 24,000 tons, even more than the French ship" - a spokesman said at the time.


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[CougarKing]

More on the Egyptian Mistrals' planned air groups:

Defense News

Egyptian Navy to Receive 46 Ka-52K Naval Helicopters From Russia
By Oscar Nkala 3:40 p.m. EST January 1, 2016


BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — JSC Russian Helicopters says it will supply the Egyptian Navy with 46 Ka-52K (Kamov-52 "Katran") naval attack helicopters to equip the two Mistraal-class helicopter carrier amphibious assaults ships acquired from France last year.

In a statement marking the end of the 2015 trading year, JSC Russian Helicopters Director-General Alexander Mikheyev said that despite the difficult business circumstances created by sanctions against Russian since March, the company managed to clinch multi-million dollar deals: "In this knotty [global business] situation, we have managed to keep up the financial parameters reached previously and to broaden the presence of Russian helicopter technologies in the world market. In the outgoing year, new contracts were signed between Russia and foreign helicopter users.

"For instance, a large agreement for delivery of 46 Ka-52 Alligator helicopters has been signed with Egypt through state-owned weapons trading company Rosoboronexport," Mikheyev said in a statement published on the company's corporate magazine.

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[dapaterson]

Interesting peek behind the curtain, were the Deputy Minister and CDS provided differing positions on the potential to acquire the Mistrals.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-defence-ships-purchase-france-mistral-1.3435803

 

[Colin Parkinson]

funny I can't see anything on the hand over to Egypt other than one article that says it's unlikely they be able to operate them effectively. Wonder if they are having buyers remorse?

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Interesting peek behind the curtain, were the Deputy Minister and CDS provided differing positions on the potential to acquire the Mistrals.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-defence-ships-purchase-france-mistral-1.3435803

It is almost as if one of them is responsible for providing "best military advice", and the other for balancing the federal budget......

 

[Good2Golf]

funny I can't see anything on the hand over to Egypt other than one article that says it's unlikely they be able to operate them effectively. Wonder if they are having buyers remorse?

...only until they feel "seller's relief"... 

 

[Colin Parkinson]

There would be a fair bit of egg on faces if the the Egyptians suddenly turned around and sold them to Russia, although I suspect getting parts afterwards would be a problem.

 

[CougarKing]

Interesting peek behind the curtain, were the Deputy Minister and CDS provided differing positions on the potential to acquire the Mistrals.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-defence-ships-purchase-france-mistral-1.3435803

More from the source article: and isn't it about time we changed the thread title to "Ex-Russian Mistral class LHDs bought by Egypt"?

It seems former top Canadian officer General Lawson actually wanted Ottawa to acquire the ex-Russian Mistrals before they were bought by Egypt:

CBC

Exclusive
Top general and defence bureaucrat were at odds over whether to buy French warships
Top bureaucrat warned resources were 'stretched' and purchase would affect shipbuilding plan

By Kristen Everson, CBC News Posted: Feb 08, 2016 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 08, 2016 5:00 AM ET

Canada's defence department advised the former minister of defence not to buy two French Mistral-class amphibious vessels because of how their cost might affect the multibillion-dollar national shipbuilding strategy — even though the ships would have provided a new and needed capability for the Canadian Navy. 

Despite this advice from the top defence bureaucrat, the defence minister was told the exact opposite six weeks later by Canada's top general, documents obtained through the Access to Information Act reveal.

In a 2015 briefing note, deputy defence minister John Forster advised then Conservative defence minister Jason Kenney and then chief of defence staff Gen. Tom Lawson to avoid buying the ships because of "stretched resources."

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[Bearpaw]

Actually, it was General Vance that recommended the purchase of the Mistrals---General Lawson's position on the issue is unclear.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-defence-ships-purchase-france-mistral-1.3435803

Bearpaw

 

[CougarKing]

180 of one of the ships' Egyptian crews are already in France:

Defense News

Egyptian Navy To Receive Mistral Warships by September
By Oscar Nkala, Defense News 4:13 p.m. EST February 25, 2016

GABORONE, Botswana — The Egyptian Navy will this year take delivery of both Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) warships acquired from France last year, according to an Agence France-Presse report.

Further, the report quoted officials from the manufacturer DCNS shipyard saying at least 180 Egyptian Navy officers will be sent to France at the end of March to attend training on how to operate and maintain the vessels.

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[FSTO]

180 of one of the ships' Egyptian crews are already in France:

Defense News

I have a hard time believing that Egypt has the capability or finances to run these two ships effectively.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The only reason they would want them is to threaten their neighbours Sudan and Libya with a seaborne assault. frankly I can think of a lot more things Egypt could fix or do then this. Likely they will parade them around for a few years, then they sit for 10 and then they will try to sell them and they will be in terrible shape.

 

[dapaterson]

#RogersAndHammerstein wrote a song about Canada's feelings on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SOCBl-ojss

 

[CougarKing]

Why do I have a feeling Russia will get them eventually through Egypt?

Navy Recognition

Russia, Egypt discuss contract to deliver equipment for Mistral amphibious assault ships

Russia and Egypt are discussing the details of a contract on the delivery of Russian-made communications and control systems for the Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to Cairo, a spokesman for the United Instrument-Manufacturing Corporation told TASS on Monday. A final decision has not been made yet, the spokesman said. The United Instrument-Manufacturing Corporation, part of Russia’s state hi-tech corporation Rostec, is the producer of the equipment of this type.
 
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[CougarKing]

Defense News

Russian Firm: Progress Made To Equip Radio Systems for Egyptian Carriers
Oscar Nkala, Defense News 2:50 p.m. EDT March 16, 2016


GABORONE, Botswana — The Russian company United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation reported 'great progress' in negotiations for the sale of radio-electronic communication systems to equip the Egyptian Navy's two new Mistral-class helicopter carriers.

The Egyptian Navy ordered the two amphibious assault carriers from France late in 2015 after cancellation of the initial order from Russia, which provided its own radio and electronic systems for installation in the vessels.

Along with several armament, command-and-control and navigation systems, the Russian radio and electronic equipment was stripped off the vessels in line with the terms of the cancellation of the sale.

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[Danjanou]

Likely they will parade them around for a few years, then they sit for 10 and then they will try to sell them and they will be in terrible shape.

And then we'll buy them 8)

 

[CougarKing]

Entering Egyptian service next week:

Ahram

Egypt to receive first Mistral helicopter carrier from France on Thursday
Ahram Online , Tuesday 31 May 2016

Egypt is set to receive its first Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) warship from France on Thursday, Al-Ahram newspaper reported.

The paper reported Tuesday that the inauguration of the Mistral, which will raise the Egyptian flag and sail from France's Toulouse to Egypt, will be attended by Egyptian defense minister Sedki Sobhi and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.



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[Colin Parkinson]

sigh...... [

 

[CougarKing]

To think certain posters at the "Best Frigate for Canada" Facebook group keep on complaining "those could have been ours" every time this topic is brought up there, without regard to how they will be manned, maintained or supplied (especially when we don't have our AOR and currently have to rely on the Spaniards/Chileans for that capability.)

Navy Recognition

DCNS delivers the 2nd Mistral-class LHD to the Egyptian Navy, the Anwar El Sadat

On 16 September 2016, DCNS delivered the second of two helicopter carriers acquired by the Arab Republic of Egypt in October 2015, the LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) Anwar El Sadat. The flag transfer ceremony took place in the presence of the two Chiefs of Staff of the Egyptian and French navies, Admiral Rabie and Admiral Prazuck, the chairman and CEO of DCNS, Hervé Guillou, and the president of STX France, Laurent Castaing, together with senior French and Egyptian officials. By 2020, DCNS will have supplied seven combat vessels to Egypt, thus contributing to the modernisation of the Arab Republic of Egypt's defence system.

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