DCNS: Russia's Shipyards Unable To Build Mistral Helicopter Carriers

Stern of Mistral Vladivostok (20% of the hull) or Sevastopol (40% of the hull) being built in Russia

There has been a few articles lately in Russian newspapers about Russian shipyards being able to buy the Mistral, would France decide not to deliver the war ships.

DCNS CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS WHY RUSSIA CAN'T BUILD THE MISTRALS

This called for a little explanation, we received it from DCNS's* Chairman Hervé Guillou during his press conference at the Euronaval trade show. Part of it was published in an article in the defensenews magazine.

1. "If the deal proceeds and Russia receives the ship, named Vladivostok, Russian yards would not be allowed to build the ships as the contract did not include a license", Guillou said.
2. "Even with a license, there would be need for know-how, a significant factor as a warship is more complex than a set of drawings."
3. "If the Russian Navy bought the French ships, that means the local yards could not build the vessels, otherwise they would".

The original deal included the building of a 3d and 4th Mistral ship in Russian's shipyards with French people training Russian shipbuilders after the first two war ships being delivered.

EXAMPLE OF A RUSSIAN DISASTER: THE IVAN GREN WAR SHIPS

These boats are similar to the Mistral but with lower capacities. The building of the first one started 10 years ago, in 2004, in Russia's Yantar Shipbuilding plant. After several delays, it is expected to enter service with the Russian navy in 2015. The picture is a genuine picture of this boat, still being built, taken in May 2014.

Photo taken in May 2014 of the first "Ivan Gren" class boat built in Russia's Yantar Shipbuilding plant. Ten years after its construction started, it is still not finished.

FAKE NEWS OF DELIVERY IN THE NEXT DAYS

At the same time, russian news are spraying fake news about an STX spokesman saying that the Mistral would be handed over in November. This has been denied by a DCNS spokesman and no STX spokesman ever stated that.

WHY SO MANY LIES ABOUT THE MISTRAL IN RUSSIAN NEWS?

Russian news are publishing a lot of lies at the moment about the Mistral deal. These lies include fake amounts for the penalty France would have to pay in case it decides not to deliver the war ships (the real number is 251 million euros), loss of jobs, France being seen as not reliable partner, etc...

This proves that the deal is of great importance for Russia otherwise they would not put so much energy in doing this.

If the Mistral is not delivered, Russia will not be able to build them and if It decides to study and build its own version, it will take years before getting a result. The Mistral therefore has a huge strategic importance in Putin's policy at the moment and France is responsible for the direction this one will take by putting in Putin's hands such weapons... or not.

PROPOSITION FOR THE E.U TO BUY THE MISTRALS

In the same article from Defense News, DCNS states that no plan has been made so far to modify the war ships, would the deal be cancelled. Among different alternative solutions, there has been recently a proposition for the EU to buy the Mistrals.

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* DCNS/STX are the shipbuilders building the Mistral in St Nazaire right now.