Russia received the Mistral as a gift along with military technology. The meaning of the word mistral in a large modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language Ships mistral where are they

The government of the Russian Federation in 2008 was extremely interested in acquiring French universal landing ships Mistral type. Unfortunately, due to the Ukrainian crisis, the deal had to be left only on paper, despite the fact that the ships had already been built.

What is Mistral

The French-made ship is designed directly to carry aircraft, namely helicopters. Also, the ship is fully suitable for organizing landing operations.

As for specifications, then the aircraft carrier can simultaneously have:

16 helicopters;
70 units of military equipment;

Dimensions of the ship "Mistral":

The length is 199 meters;
Width - 32 meters;
Flight deck height from sea level - 27 meters;
Draft of the ship with a displacement of 22.6 thousand tons - 6.42 meters;
Maximum speed 18.5 knots;
The crew of the ship - 177 people;
The number of passengers is 481 people.

An important fact is that a full-fledged marine hospital can be located on the ship. The Russian military, who visited one of the Mistrals, said that there is a complete set of medical equipment - everything for dentistry, surgery and more.

Also worth noting is the comfort inside the ship. Ordinary sailors are located in 4-bed cabins, where there is a bathroom and shower. Officers of the middle and lower ranks live in 2-bed cabins. Senior officers - in single cabins.

The role of the Russian fleet

France and Russia began active negotiations on the supply of Mistral aircraft carriers back in 2009. At the same time, all the conditions of the future contract were achieved. Then it was said about the construction of 4 ships. Two were to be built by France at their shipyards, and 2 more - already on the territory of the Russian Federation.

In 2012, the foundation was laid for the first ship of the Mistral class, it was called Vladivostok. A year later, the construction of the second ship, the Sevastopol, began. total amount the contract was estimated at 1.2 billion euros. These ships were to be sent to serve in the Pacific Fleet.

All constructions were carried out according to plans, and nothing prevented Russia from getting new ships on time. However, due to the situation in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation, America and Great Britain began to demand that France stop the transfer of Mistrals.

The situation with aircraft carriers was uncertain, but in July 2015 the French government announced the termination of the contract with Russia.

"Mistral" off the coast of Africa

Great interest in the Mistral-class ships was shown in Egypt. An agreement between Cairo and Paris was reached in the shortest possible time. In June 2016, the aircraft carriers headed for Alexandria. It is worth noting that the two countries jointly held naval exercises with new courts.

For two ships, the Egyptian authorities came up with their own names, naming them in honor of 2 former presidents.

Russia did not suffer losses in this deal. The reason is simple - France was developing the Mistral ships for Russian technology, so Cairo had to buy 50 helicopters from Moscow.

In June 2011, during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, something completely unique happened among other interesting events. For the first time since the Second World War, Russian representatives signed a large-scale contract with a foreign company for the supply of military equipment. It became known that huge ships, Mistral helicopter carriers, are being purchased for the needs of the navy. This event became a real sensation, until now, domestic shipbuilding enterprises somehow managed with orders themselves, without foreign help, and learned how to do things that from time to time our Western “friends” began to move their hair on their heads, for example, submarine missile carriers. Where did the desire to get ships of this type come from?

Why was the Mistral created?

The mistral is a Mediterranean wind, rather cold, from time to time blowing over the southern coast of France, pampered and pampered by a mild climate. It cannot be compared with the piercing wet frosty currents of the Arctic air, to which Murmansk has long been accustomed, but to delicate Gallic noses it seems the height of discomfort. As much as the climate differs between France and Russian Federation. The Mistral-class helicopter carrier is essentially a large ship, practically devoid of an independent system of anti-submarine, anti-ship and air defense, that is, capable of operating only as part of a squadron, surrounded by an escort.

On the other hand, it reflects the shipbuilding concept that has been fashionable in recent decades, according to which landing forces land on foreign shores, as it were, “remotely”. This happens as follows: a large ship approaches a hostile state at a relatively safe distance of fifteen to twenty miles, then begins to load equipment onto special barge-boats, and in the meantime, attack and transport helicopters with specially trained soldiers fly forward, seize a bridgehead and ensure the absence resistance during the whole process. The landing craft is not even visible from the shore, and small transports arrive unexpectedly, unless, of course, the side being invaded has the means for over-the-horizon detection. This is approximately the scenario for which the Mistral type is intended. This ship has too much draft, it cannot come close to the shore. He is also unable to provide support to the advancing troops, for this he does not have a sufficient number of guns or missiles.

Ship characteristics

The large flight deck immediately catches the eye of those who look at the Mistral. The characteristics of this large ship are impressive. It has a length of 200 meters, a displacement of 22 thousand tons, however, it is able to move through the sea at a speed of only 18 knots. The crew, including pilots, is approximately 170 team members. In addition to everything that distinguishes an aircraft carrier, that is, decks and under-deck hangars, it also has other features. For example, a compartment for transporting forty modern tanks. The Mistral is an aircraft carrier, but it is primarily a landing ship.

But it is not enough to bring tanks to the coast of an enemy country, they still need to be delivered to land and unloaded ashore. There is a whole technology for this. It is ours who simply rest their nose on the beach, open the ramps, and “forward for their homeland!”. The armies of the NATO countries act differently, much more ingeniously. But more on that later.

The air wing is completed depending on the tasks to be solved in a military campaign. Helicopters on deck and in hangars can accommodate from 16 to 32, depending on the ratio of anti-submarine, strike and transport aircraft different geometric sizes.

The amount of manpower that the ship takes on board is also important - 450 marines. This is a battalion.

An urgent re-equipment of the vessel into a floating hospital is also possible. This may become necessary when solving humanitarian problems or providing medical care wounded soldiers as a result of hostilities.

And the Mistral is a ship designed to long hikes. Its autonomous range is 20 thousand kilometers. This is half the equator. If you need to restore order in the rebellious colonies, then he is what you need. But over the question of why Russia needs "Mistrals" we still have to break our heads. Our country has no overseas territories. No one seems to be planning to land troops somewhere in Australia or Argentina, and if such a desire arose, then it would be necessary to buy not two, or even four ships ... In addition, the landing process itself is very peculiar.

How is landing in French

The French "Mistral" stands aside, as already mentioned, twenty from the hot shore, where it is not clear what can happen, and releases special barges from its womb, on which armored vehicles stand. For this procedure, he has a certain dock, in which the mentioned vehicles are brought in turn, tanks and armored vehicles are loaded on them, then they are flooded to the level of the surrounding world ocean, and only after that they leave their native floating base. The landing process takes place sedately and for a long time, many hours. According to our staffing four is a reinforced tank battalion, consisting of three companies and a command unit, that is, quite a bit. We can say with confidence that if someone hostile to us tried to land somewhere near Anapa, then the Bastion coastal defense complex would stop it quickly ...

Helicopters

The French have their own rotorcraft. They are divided into classes according to their purpose, two of which are used as deck ones. Multi-purpose NH-90s and attack "Tigers" make up approximately equal parts of the air wing, and lifting devices are designed for their size, which ensured the movement of equipment to the flight deck and back to the hold, where they shelter from storms, sea water splashes and undergo preventive maintenance. There are two elevators in total with a carrying capacity of 13 tons, one at the stern, the other next to the wheelhouse.

Our main deck helicopters are the anti-submarine Ka-27M and Ka-226, but the Alligator Ka-52 is also needed to carry out strikes against land or sea targets. The dimensions of these machines differ from their French counterparts, moreover, in a big way. Mistrals for the Russian Navy were built taking into account the necessary adjustments.

Contract Details

The French bargained frantically. The Russian side insisted on building three of the four planned helicopter carriers at its own shipyards using imported technical documentation. We agreed on half. In addition, the stern part was manufactured at the Baltic Shipbuilding Plant, which also reduced the cost of the project. It should be especially noted the high quality of work of domestic shipbuilders and the complete docking of all units during the final assembly in Saint-Nazaire.

The condition was immediately agreed that the French side would install a part of high-tech navigation equipment on the Mistral for Russia, and only prepare installation sites for armament and lay cable communications. The Russians will supply all the missile and artillery systems themselves and their own.

An important factor in signing the contract could be the possibility of mastering the latest technologies shipbuilding, if, of course, the French have something to learn. They mainly relate to methods for assembling large-tonnage hulls, although Baltzavod and the United Shipbuilding Corporation immediately received an order for nuclear-powered icebreakers no less complex than the Mistral. The cost of two warships amounted to 1.2-1.5 billion euros, plus 2.5 billion rubles for the work that Russian shipbuilders had to perform.

Weapons and warning systems

The main radar installed on the Mistral for Russia, which will be their "eyes", is the French Thales. The design features of the hull made it difficult to install domestic analogues.

The initial paucity of defensive systems caused Additional requirements naval command to equip ships with five Gibka air defense systems, designed to use Eagles and a pair of six-barreled 30-mm AK-630 rapid-fire artillery fire mounts to destroy low-flying high-speed targets. Anti-ship protection is carried out by complexes of supersonic cruise missiles capable of "working" against coastal targets. Anti-submarine defense includes all possible sonar hardware.

The details of retrofitting are not widely disclosed, but it is known that every Russian Mistral is a control ship, and not just a helicopter carrier and landing transport, so the information technology saturation of the onboard computer system is also very serious.

Balancing

The Mistral-type helicopter carrier is a large, large-tonnage ship and needs to be balanced to ensure its stability in severe storms. Three ships in service are equipped automatic system Norwegian production "L3Marin", which is responsible for the balance. The intention to replace it on ships under construction for Russia with a French balancer, tested on much lighter corvettes and frigates, raised objections from the customer. In addition, Rosoboronexport has a direct interest in this system, since the contract is so expensive. The navigational safety of Russian helicopter carriers is too important to skimp on.

Problems and Solutions

There were also problems with the completion of the ship with shuttle vehicles. French double-hull catamarans were rejected from the very beginning, and domestic high-speed hovercraft did not fit in the cargo hold. We agreed that the best solution would still be the acquisition of domestic tank-landing boats "Dugong" and "Cerna", having a length of 45 and 26 meters, respectively.

The ice class of the hull has also been increased, as the contractor received an order based on the possible areas for basing new ships. Unlike their French counterparts, their area of responsibility is not limited to tropical waters, and it can be very frosty in the port, for example, of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. However, the Russian naval command at the time of signing the agreement was not sure where the helicopter carriers would be based. This was decided later.

Helicopter carrier experience

The Soviet Navy was already armed with large aircraft-carrying anti-submarine cruisers - Leningrad and Moskva. The helicopter wing of these warships was intended to detect submarines of a potential enemy. After obsolescence and technical wear and tear, they were withdrawn from the Navy, their replacement was not planned, since in general they turned out to be not much more effective than the BOD of a smaller displacement and, accordingly, much cheaper both in production and in operation. Contributed to obsolescence and low modification potential, which was expressed in the impossibility of converting hangars for modern helicopters. In general, world experience shows that it is not worth saving on aircraft carriers, they should be built with a margin, taking into account the possibility of retrofitting them in the process of improving control systems, weapons, communications, navigation and detection. In this case, expensive ships can serve for decades. To what extent the Mistral type helicopter carrier meets this criterion is a big question.

"Admiral Kuznetsov" in its design is not an analogue of the "Mistral". This ship performs completely different functions, it does not carry forces for landing and has completely different driving characteristics.

International reaction

The ships have not yet been completed, and it has already been announced that the main Far Eastern military harbor will become the base for the newest Russian helicopter carrier Vladivostok, built according to the Mistral project. This news aroused the usual concern of the Japanese government, which saw some aggressive intentions in the strengthening of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation. Of course, the diplomatic maneuvers of our eastern neighbor are exclusively politically motivated and fit into the general format of claims to the "northern territories", the issue of which is raised periodically, on the eve of the next elections. Even the bravest patriotic Japanese science fiction writers cannot assume that the Russian marines will land a tank battalion somewhere on the island of Hokkaido for several hours. In the photo, the Mistral looks impressive, but even after equipping this ship with cruise missiles, it will not turn into a missile cruiser, it is very slow-moving, and in general, it was not built and bought for that. And for what?

Military Specialist Serdyukov

It would be more correct to ask about, not for what, but why and why. Former Minister of Defense A.E. Serdyukov evidently understood little about strategic matters. Much richer, he was gifted with natural artistry (of course, he has the makings of a good film director). Perhaps he immediately dreamed of how the formidable and huge amphibious assault ships under A would look on the ocean. In addition to artistic merit, Mr. Serdyukov, apparently, also has a certain commercial acumen. But these are just guesses.

Recognize the fallacy of the idea with the Mistrals Russian government, quite possibly, just humanly inconvenient. Two ships ("Sevastopol" and "Vladivostok") can already be considered accepted by the command of the Navy, and in favor of their uselessness is the fact that the Russian side has practically refused to build another pair, although this has not yet been directly stated. We just decided to wait.

Terrible, in fact, nothing happened. Landing helicopter-carrying ships of the dock type are not entirely consistent with Russian military doctrine, but from time to time international complications arise that force a change in previously developed approaches. It can be said about such vessels that they are “just in case of a fire”.

Money has been spent on warships, this is not done in the best way, but helicopter carriers can be used in peacekeeping operations, which, as the events of recent months have shown, are quite probable.

For the Russian Navy. The first event of an optimistic nature took place on February 1 in the small port town of Saint-Nazaire in western France - on that day, metal cutting for the first universal landing ship-helicopter carrier Mistral a la Rus began at the STX France shipyard. Along the way, the name of the future ship, Vladivostok, became known.
It is noteworthy that, despite the Russian-French nature of the agreement, the construction of two Mistrals for the Russian Navy is de facto being carried out at the STX shipyard, owned by South Korea! A large-scale international project involving a good half of the world. The total value of the contract, according to open sources, amounted to 1.7 billion euros.

The second important news was announced in September: the Russian Defense Ministry decided to hold an unusual auction. Lot is the largest landing ship of the Russian Navy to date, the last BDK of project 1174 (code "Rhino").

Million dollars!

Million dollars. Who is bigger?

Two million!

Two million times! Two million two...

And "Mitrofan Moskalenko" went under the hammer.

However, the results of this farce are known in advance - Mitrofan Moskalenko will not cost more than $ 2.5 million - this is the maximum market value 11 thousand tons of steel structures of the hull of the old ship. The last of the large Soviet large landing ships is being sold at the price of ordinary scrap metal.
To a reasonable question: Why are you doing this? - representatives of the Ministry of Defense found a well-reasoned answer:

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to write off and scrap the Mitrofan Moskalenko large landing craft, primarily for economic reasons. Its repair would have cost the sum of at least two small artillery ships. And from a strategic point of view, its demand is not obvious - Russia is not going to land amphibious assault anywhere yet

Everything is going as usual. It would seem, what does the purchase of an ultra-modern helicopter carrier in France have to do with the tragicomedy with the disposal of old Soviet rubbish? A source in the Ministry of Defense is absolutely right: given the current state of the Russian Navy and the general geopolitical situation in the world, amphibious assaults are possible only in the form of joint operations by the forces of Russia and NATO countries. Obviously, this is contrary to the foreign policy interests of Russia, and, consequently, the landing ships of the Russian Navy are not needed in principle.

The economic factor is also important - the repair of the old large landing craft "Mitrofan Moskalenko" will cost the same as the construction of two new small artillery ships ... Stop!
Compare MAC and BDK? Guys, this sounds as ridiculous as the advertising slogan: "Buy a car and get a baseball cap as a gift." MAK and "Mitrofan Moskalenko" are things of two different categories. A 14,000 ton universal ocean-going ship and a 500 ton coastal boat with primitive armament.

Are you saying that the repair of Moskalenko costs the same as the construction of two new small artillery ships? According to official data, the construction of the Astrakhan small artillery ship (the lead MAK of Project 21630 Buyan) cost Russia 372 million rubles. Or about 10 million if you count in European currency. Two small artillery ships - 20 million euros.
For comparison: the purchase of each "Mistral" cost Russia 800 million euros!
But is it correct to compare an outdated Soviet-built trough and an ultra-modern French ship?

Mistral-type amphibious assault helicopter carrier-dock

Standard displacement 16500 tons.
Full displacement 21300 tons.
Length 199 m, width 32 m, draft 6.3 m.
Power plant: three 32-cylinder ship diesel generators (Vyartisla, Finland).
Propulsion: two rudder propellers of the Azipod type (Rolls-Royce, UK).
Maximum speed 18.8 knots.
Cruising range: 10,700 nautical miles at an economic speed of 15 knots.

Landing capabilities:
- docking chamber, 4 landing craft type CTM or 2 high-speed landing craft hovercraft type LCAC;
- flight deck, helicopter hangar, two lifts. Up to 16 units of large aircraft: combat, transport or multi-purpose helicopters (foreign NH-90, Tiger; domestic Ka-27, Ka-29, Ka-52 Alligator).
- "Mistral" is capable of taking on board a tank battalion - 40 MBT "Leclerc" or up to 280 units of trucks and light armored vehicles.
- personnel quarters are designed to accommodate 450 marines (with the possibility of a short-term increase to 900 people).

Defensive weapons: two Simbad self-defense air defense systems (based on MANPADS), two automatic guns of 30 mm caliber.

Dixmude (L9015) in Jounieh Bay (Lebanon)

"Mistral" is simply charming. Automated "all-electric vessel", requiring minimal logistical support. A universal "democratizer" capable of urgently delivering a battalion of marines, equipment and equipment to any area of the World Ocean. Cargo ramps, speedboats and helicopters.

The grandiose flagship command post: amphitheater with an area of 900 square meters. meters, 160 operator jobs, satellite communications. Effective management of a naval formation or any combined-arms landing operation.

Equipped hospital with an area of 750 sq. meters with the possibility of increasing according to the modular principle, due to other premises of the ship. If necessary, the work of 100 medical staff in 12 operating rooms can be provided here.

Most modern facilities detection: three-dimensional radar Thales MRR-3D-NG, providing control of the air situation within a radius of 180 km from the side of the ship. Or the Vampir NG infrared search and sighting system, capable of detecting and taking on escort low-flying anti-ship missiles and high-speed boats at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.

The Mistral is a really cool ship, a real step forward in terms of crew and landing accommodation. The latest electronics and control systems, a spacious flight deck. Spacious holds and comfortable cockpits. A real amphibious helicopter carrier-dock of the 21st century.

Project 1174 large landing ship (code "Rhino")

Standard displacement 11,500 tons;
Full displacement 14,000 tons;
Length 157.5 m, width 24 m, draft 6.7 m.
GEM: two M8K gas turbine units (2 x 18,000 hp);
Maximum speed 21 knots.
Cruising range: 7500 nautical miles at an economic speed of 14 knots.

Landing capabilities:

"Rhino" is able to take on board up to 2500 tons of cargo: in the bow of the large landing ship there is a tank hold (length 54 m, width 12 m, height about 5 m), in the stern of the ship there is a dock chamber (length 75 m, width 12 m, height about 10 m).

The BDK ensures the transportation and disembarkation of a motorized rifle battalion, including 440 people and 79 pieces of equipment (armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, tanks, cars, etc.). In the absence of landing craft in the docking chamber, the Rhino can take on board a tank unit with 46 main battle tanks. Autonomy - 15 days when transporting 500 paratroopers or 30 days when transporting 250 paratroopers.

Bow gangway 32 meters long with hydraulic drive. Landing with non-floating equipment can be carried out directly on an unequipped coast with a fording depth at the gangway head of no more than 1.2 m. According to statistics, BDK pr.

Cargo ramp for receiving and disembarking troops on an equipped pier.

To unload non-floating equipment without approaching the shore, six landing craft pr. 1176 (capacity 1 MBT, speed 10-11 knots) or three high-speed landing boats on an air cavity pr. 11770 "Serna" (speed up to 27 knots with waves 3 points).

Aviation armament: two helipads with refueling systems, up to 4 Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters can be based on the ship.
Also, Rhino is equipped with a system for receiving liquid and solid cargoes at sea.

Built-in weapons:
- SAM short-range "Osa-M" (ammunition 20 missiles);
- twin artillery mount AK-726 caliber 76 mm;
- two batteries of anti-aircraft guns AK-630;
- two multiple launch rocket systems A-215 "Grad-M" for artillery support of the landing.

Monumental ship! Predatory “jaws” of the bow gate, constructive trim to the stern, heavy developed superstructure. In general, a real Rhino!

Back in 1978 the Navy Soviet Union received a unique marine equipment - an unparalleled universal landing ship capable of landing marine units both directly on an equipped or unequipped coast, and without approaching the coast: floating equipment - directly on the water, non-floating - to deliver to the coast on landing boats. At the same time, the landing personnel could be delivered to any place on the coast with the help of transport and combat helicopters on board.

However, the role of the "Rhino" was not limited to the delivery and landing of troops - if necessary, the ship could provide solid fire support to the Marines: two installations of the Grad-M MLRS (2 x 40 guides of 122 mm caliber, reload time - 2 minutes) and a bow 76 mm twin artillery system AK-726. It even had its own Osa-M air defense system!

Unlike the beloved Mistral, the Rhino BDK really has less autonomy and less efficiency when conducting landing operations on the other side of the Earth. But was it really that important? At one time, the Soviet Navy had naval bases and logistics points around the world - from Vietnam and Cuba to Somalia. As for the modern Russian Navy, our sailors will obviously not have to land troops in French Polynesia - the higher autonomy of the Mistral will remain unclaimed. In other words, in terms of cruising range and autonomy, the Mistral in Russian conditions has no advantages over the old BDK of project 1174.

The carrying capacity and capacity of the Mistral is naturally greater - it is 1.5 times larger than the Rhinoceros. But is the advantage of the French ship so noticeable? Advertising booklets claim 120 vehicles aboard the Soviet large landing craft and 280 vehicles aboard the Mistral.
But, it is important to understand that a warship is not a vehicle for ferrying used foreign cars from Japan. Paratroopers going into battle require a very specific technique - TANKS. Practice shows that it is problematic and dangerous to engage in battle without the support of heavy armored vehicles. The landing party definitely needs MBT.

How many main battle tanks will fit on board the Mistral and the Rhino?
The answer is paradoxical: the same! On average - one battalion in the composition of 40 MBT. It seems that not every cargo deck on the Mistral will withstand the weight of a 50-ton combat tracked vehicle. True, in this case, the "Rhino" will also have trouble - they will have to abandon the landing craft, placing the tanks in an empty docking chamber.
(There are various pessimistic assumptions that the maximum number of MBTs on board the Mistral cannot exceed 5 ... no more than 32 tons)

As for aviation weapons, the domestic BDK, of course, is a net loser: 3 times fewer landing sites, only four helicopters. But what does it matter in real life? - for a real amphibious operation, tens of times more rotorcraft are required. Let's take as an example the Falklands conflict - a local naval battle on the edge of the Earth. However, the operation involved ... 130 British helicopters!

The Soviet landing ship has its own important advantage - a solid set of built-in weapons. The mass installed on board the BDK exceeds 100 tons - the Rhino bristled on all sides with missile launchers and artillery barrels.

Of course, no one has any illusions about the combat capabilities of the obsolete Osa-M air defense system ... but what prevents the complex from being dismantled and replaced with something else? For example, the compact ship-based air defense system "Shtil". Not satisfied with the 26-ton AK-726 artillery mount? Change it to the new larger caliber A-192 system. And what prevents the installation of the Broadsword rocket-artillery complex instead of the AK-630 metal-cutting battery?
Finally, multiple launch rocket systems "Grad". The legendary weapon, even after half a century, remains one of the deadliest rocket and artillery systems and hardly needs to be replaced.

You will say that this is a very expensive proposal, a radical reworking of the Rhinoceros project will be required ... well, so, it is planned to spend 800 million euros on the purchase of each Mistral. There is confidence that half of this colossal amount would be enough to modernize the old BDK "Rhino".

As a result, we are witnessing an interesting situation: based on the realities of the Russian Navy, the old Soviet BDK corresponds to its overseas competitor in most of the declared characteristics. Moreover, the Rhino is much more preferable when performing the main task of landing ships - delivering heavy equipment and armored vehicles to the coast (everything else can be done by ordinary container ships and destroyers). Unlike the Mistral, he does not need to spend time moving tanks from cargo decks to landing craft with their subsequent unloading on the coast. Filling the docking chamber with water, mooring boats... too long and laborious operation.

The "Rhino" will simply approach the shore, stick the bow gangway into the sand and disembark the equipment under its own power. Don't let the statistics scare you that only 17% of the coast of the World Ocean is suitable for landing through the bow gangway of the BDK (suitable bottom slope, soil type, etc.) - in reality, this means hundreds of thousands of kilometers of coastline. A suitable place can always be found.

However, it's not even about the number of guns and tanks aboard the Rhino or the Mistral. Those articles on the national economy that the author managed to read unequivocally testify: the most profitable investment of funds is investment in own production. Protectionism, defense domestic manufacturer, customs barriers- all this is a real confirmation of this theory.

To avoid unhealthy associations, we note that the following passage does not apply to the "Rhinoceros".
Sometimes it doesn’t matter that domestic equipment is inferior in terms of its performance characteristics foreign analogues- the main thing is that it was built in Russia. Domestic shipyards and factories are busy with work, the well-being of the population is growing. Simple, intuitive conclusions.

Landing helicopter-carrying ship-dock (DVKD) / universal landing ship-helicopter carrier / VRS (Vâtiments de Projection et de Commandment - projection and control ship). The development of the project of the ship began in 1997 as part of the research of the concept of the initial ship for amphibious landing operations - CNOA (Concept National des Operations Amphibies, France). The purpose of the ship is the landing of military units, the provision of helicopter flights, the command center of the operation of heterogeneous forces, the ship-hospital. On December 24, 2010, an agreement was announced with a consortium consisting of the French company DCNS and the Russian USC. Upon the transfer of the ships, France will transfer to the Russian side all the technologies it was interested in. The protocol of intent was signed on June 10, 2011 in Paris, the signing of the final contract took place within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 17, 2011. According to the agreement, it is planned to build two helicopter carriers in France and two in Russia. Also, "Baltiysky Zavod" (St. Petersburg) was ordered to build part of the hull sections and the first two ships of the series (12 block sections of the aft parts of the ships). On October 1, 2012, the official construction of the Russian part of the sections of the lead ship for the Russian Navy - Vladivostok - began at the Baltic Shipyard.

The design of the ship variant for the Russian Navy (BPC Russe) is being carried out in two stages. The first stage - preliminary design - was completed in April 2012. The technical design of the ship should be completed in September 2012. The project provides for modification to accommodate Russian aviation equipment, Russification of user interfaces and adaptation of the ship and flight deck for winter operation (deck electric heating, etc.). P.).

http://www.shipspotting.com/).

The start of work on assembling the first section of the first ship for the Russian Navy at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire - February 1, 2012 ship hull assembly. As of April 23, 2012, the final statement of the order of rolled metal for buildings (1 and 2) was handed over to Baltiysky Zavod, the rest of the documents necessary to start work will be received by the enterprise on June 1, 2012. In July 2012, the French company STX France delivered to the Admiralty shipyards a 3D model of the floating parts of the Mistral helicopter carrier's hull and the first batch of technical documentation for the ship's design. The Admiralty shipyards, without violating the design of the future ship, redesigned the project so that it could be implemented at the facilities of the Baltic Shipyard. Metal cutting for the first hulls at the Baltic Shipyard began on August 1, 2012. The laying of blocks under construction in Russia for the first ship is expected on October 1, 2012.

The official laying of the first ship BPC Russe will take place on February 1, 2013 in Saint-Nazaire - the first bow section will be placed in the dry dock, where the ship will be assembled. The delivery of the first ship is scheduled for November 1, 2014 (as of October 2013, ), the second - in 2015.

Service maintenance and technical inspection of the Russian Mistral helicopter carriers were to be carried out at the facilities of the Wartsila representative office in St. Petersburg (media report dated February 14, 2012).

In 2014, the contract for the supply of ships was suspended and later terminated. In September, the ships were sold to Egypt, where they received the names Gamal Abdel Nasser (former Vladivostok) and Anwar al-Sadat (former Sevastopol).

Design- in the version for the Russian Navy, it is planned to make some changes in the design of the ship:
- strengthening of the sides of the hull for operation in northern latitudes in ice conditions;
- provision of flight deck heating for operation in winter conditions;
- increase in the height of the hangar opening in the area of lift elevators for basing helicopters of the Ka-29 type;
- it is planned to install weapons on the ship Russian production.

The sides of the ship's hull are not armored.

Helicopter carriers Mistral L9013 and Tonnerre L9014 of the French Navy (photo by Pascal Fournier, Marine Nationale, http://en.dcnsgroup.com).

Propulsion system:
- 2 x Alstom Mermaid propellers with a capacity of 10200 hp each with 5-bladed propellers;
- 3 x Wartsila 16V32 diesel generators with a capacity of 2.075 MW each
- 1 x diesel generator Wartsila 18V200 with a capacity of 3.3 MW

Thrusters in the bow of the hull.

Steering column DVKD "Vladivostok" type Mistral. Before launching. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France. October 15, 2013 (photo - Daniil Nizamutdinov, http://en.ria.ru).

Landing helicopter-carrying ship-dock "Vladivostok" of the Mistral type for the Russian Navy shortly before launching. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France. September 2013 (photo - AFP, http://legatus-minor.livejournal.com/).

TTX of the ship:
Crew - 160 people (including 20 officers)

Length - 199 m
Waterline length - 189 m
Width at the waterline - 32 m
Height - 64.3 m
Draft - 6.3 m
Hangar area for aviation equipment - 1800 sq.m

Displacement standard - 16500 t
Full displacement - 21300 tons
Maximum displacement - 32300 tons

Full speed - 19 knots
Cruise speed - 18 knots
Economic speed - 15 knots
Range:
- 10800 miles (speed 18 knots)
- 19800 miles (speed 15 knots)
Autonomy - 30 days

landing 450 people, evacuation - up to 900 people. As well as up to 150 staff members .
Payload weight - 1100 t
Cargo deck size - 122 x 13.5 x 7.7 m

Armament: in the version for the Russian Navy, Russian-made weapons. On February 16, 2012, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Vysotsky told the media that "on the Mistrals, which are being built for the Russian Navy, it is possible to place weapons with a special Russian-designed warhead." Probably, we are talking about the possibility of placing on ships some strike systems with nuclear warheads. It is also possible that this statement was made solely for the purpose of PR.

	"Mistral"	"Mistral" of the Russian Navy
SAM	2 x 2 Simbad SAM launchers	2 combat modules 3R89 ZRAK "" with 2 x 2 x 4 launchers ZUR 9M340 (presumably not confirmed)
MANPADS		2 installations 3M47 "Gibka" with missiles "Igla"
Auxiliary armament	4 x 12.7mm Browning machine guns	4 x 12.7 mm machine guns
ZRAK / AK	2 x 30mm Breda-Mauser gun mounts	2 x , ammunition load 2 x 2000 rounds
Jamming
Other

Design image of a variant of the BPC Russe project. In the bow of the ship, you can see the AK-630 and 3M47 "Gibka" installations (DCNS, http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Air wing: the ship is designed to base up to 16 helicopters weighing 12 tons each / 32 light helicopters. The Russian Navy plans to base 8 attack helicopters (tested in early September 2011 on ships Northern Fleet Navy) and 8 Ka-29 assault helicopters.

In the version for the French Navy, the ship carries up to 16 helicopters - the standard composition of the air group is 8 landing helicopters NH90 and 8 attack helicopters "Tiger".

Equipment:

	"Mistral"	"Mistral" of the Russian Navy
BIUS	Zenit-9 / Senit-9	Zenit-9 / Senit-9
Radar for detecting air and surface targets	MRR3D-NG target acquisition radar	likewise?
Navigation radars	2 x navigation radar DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250	likewise?
Navigation inertial system
Electronic countermeasures
GAK / GAS
Surveillance		Ultra-long-range infrared optronic search and sighting system Vampir NG manufactured by Sagem (the contract for equipping the first two ships was signed by September 28, 2012). The system provides passive all-round panoramic surveillance of the surface situation, automatic detection, tracking and informing about various types of threats, from anti-ship missiles with a flat trajectory to high-speed ships. The system has two modes of operation: - "ocean" mode for long-range observation on the high seas, - "coastal" regime for coastal water areas.
Laser detection station
Communication complex	Syracuse satellite communication system	Syracuse satellite communication system?
General operational management system

Price ship for 2010 about 900 million euros.

Status: Russia

Helicopter carrier Mistral L9013 after launching, Brest, October 6, 2004 (photo from Rama archive, http://commons.wikimedia.org).

French Navy helicopter carrier Tonnerre L9014, 07/24/2007 (photo by Beotien Lambda, http://commons.wikimedia.org).

French Navy helicopter carrier Tonnerre L9014 (http://www.venik4.com).

Helicopter carrier Mistral L9013 during a visit to St. Petersburg in November 2009 (photo - Vitaly Kuzmin, http://vitaly.livejournal.com).

- 2011 June 17 - Rosoboronexport and DCNS Corporation (France) signed a contract for the supply of the first two Mistral helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy. The contract amount is 1.2 billion euros, incl. 980 million euros directly cost the ships.

December 2, 2011 - USC and Baltic Shipyard signed a contract for the manufacture of floating parts of the hulls of two (2) Mistral helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy. The amount of the contract is 2.5 billion rubles.

December 09, 2011 - information appeared on the start of work on changing the technical documentation for the Mistral project to meet the requirements of the Russian Navy. We are talking about changing the height of a part of the hangar to ensure the basing of Ka-29 helicopters and providing heating for the flight deck.

December 22, 2011 - Russian Defense Minister A. Serdyukov told the media that the second pair of Mistral helicopter carriers would probably be built at the Sevmash Production Association (Severodvinsk).

February 1, 2012 - the first Mistral helicopter carrier for the Russian Navy was laid down at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. At the same time, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Vysotsky announced that the first two ships of this type would be named Sevastopol and Vladivostok.

April 20, 2012 - information appeared in the media that in August 2012 it is planned to start cutting metal for sections of the hulls of the first ship of the series at the Baltic Shipyard. The laying of the first section is planned for October 1, 2012. Metal cutting for the second ship of the series is scheduled to begin in May 2013. We are talking about hull sections that will be produced at the Baltic Shipyard for the first two French-assembled ships.

2012 October 1 - at the "Baltic Shipyard" in St. Petersburg, the construction of the Russian part of the sections of the head DVKD "Vladivostok" for the Russian Navy was officially started.

- 2013 January 24 - critical notes appeared in the media on the decision of the previous leadership of the Ministry of Defense to purchase Mistral helicopter carriers. Media reports that the decision to build or refuse to build the third and fourth helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy will be made in 2016.

February 01, 2013 - according to the media, in an atmosphere of high secrecy, the official laying of the first BPC Russe ship in Saint-Nazaire (France) took place - the first bow section (,) was placed in the dry dock, where the ship will be assembled.

February 5, 2013 - Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Russia D.O. Rogozin told reporters that Russia does not produce fuel for Mistral helicopter carriers. Later, he also stated that he actually meant something else. At the same time, in November 2009, when the helicopter carrier called in St. Petersburg, Baltic Bunker Company LLC was bunkering this vessel, supplying it with 450 tons of diesel fuel (MGO 0.1). PortNews IAA also informs that representatives of physical suppliers of bunker fuel in Russia interviewed by PortNews IAA did not agree with the statement about the lack of the necessary fuel. Mistral-type ships run on diesel fuel and fuel oil of the IFO-180 brand, - one of the largest bunkering companies in the North-West of Russia confirmed to PortNews IAA, - the so-called "NATO" specification of marine fuels is no different from ISO standards, as well as GOSTs and specifications for the production of marine fuel in Russia. As for the type of engines, a large percentage of ships in the world run on similar engines. Therefore, any bunkering company can physically supply fuel to such a vessel in Russia, the interlocutors of the agency are sure ().

http://www.meretmarine.com via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, June 2013 (photo - Vincent Groizeleau, published 06/20/2013, http://www.meretmarine.com via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

- 2013 June 19 - in France, construction began on the second DVKD of the Mistral type for the Russian Navy ().

June 26, 2013 - "Baltiysky Zavod" plans to launch the aft part of the Mistral-type DKVD, which is being built at the plant. Earlier, some media reported on the transfer of the construction of sections of ships for the Russian Navy to France in connection with the alleged failure to meet construction deadlines (). The launching of the stern part of the DVKD according to the plan took place on 06/26/2013. The launching of the lead ship is planned on 10/15/2013.

http://www.fontanka.ru).

The ceremony of launching the stern of the head DVKD Mistral for the Russian Navy, St. Petersburg, "Baltic Plant", 06/26/2013 (photo - Igor Russak, http://ria.ru).

The ceremony of launching the stern part of the head DVKD Mistral for the Russian Navy, St. Petersburg, "Baltiysky Zavod", 06/26/2013 (http://www.fontanka.ru).

The stern of the head DVKD Mistral for the Russian Navy, St. Petersburg, "Baltic Plant", early July 2013 (photo - http://pfc-joker.livejournal.com).

- July 7, 2013 - the aft part of the Vladivostok DVKD built at the Baltic Shipyard was sent to France on July 6 to assemble the ship. As part of the work to saturate the hull of the first DVKD, the Baltic Shipyard installed foundations for propeller-steering columns, aft and side ramps, lifting platforms for helicopters, an ammunition lift, and hangar clinket gates. A room for ballast pumps was equipped, towing and mooring equipment was installed for transporting the hull to Saint-Nazaire. All hatches and doors envisaged by the project have been installed, electric plumbing equipment (cable trays and foundations for electrical appliances) has been installed. Also, the hull was saturated with pipes of ballast, sewage and fire systems. The total length of the pipes is about 5 thousand meters ().

July 23, 2013 - the stern part of the Vladivostok DVKD arrived at its dream destination in Saint-Nazaire (France).

The aft part of the Vladivostok DVKD arrived in Saint-Nazaire, France, on July 23, 2013 (photo - DCNS via http://ria.ru).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, July 23, 2013 (photo - Gilbert Cailler, http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1843349).

The docking of the DVKD "Vladivostok" hull - the Mistral-type DVKD for the Russian Navy - has been completed. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, July 25, 2013 (photo by STX France via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Docking of the DVKD "Vladivostok" hull - Mistral-type DVKD for the Russian Navy - has been completed. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, July 25, 2013 (photo by STX France via http://bmpd.livejournal.com).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Sevastopol" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 08/10/2013 (photo - Christophe Dedieu, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 09/08/2013 (photo - Christian Plague, http://www.shipspotting.com/ via http://prokhor-tebin.livejournal.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" of the Mistral type for the Russian Navy before launching. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France. October 15, 2013 (photo - Daniil Nizamutdinov, http://en.ria.ru).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, October 21, 2013 (photo - brunoh, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Vladivostok" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, October 21, 2013 (photo - Gilbert Cailler, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Sevastopol" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 01/02/2014 (photo - Christian Plague, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

Helicopter-carrying landing ship-dock "Sevastopol" - Mistral type DVKD for the Russian Navy. France, Saint-Nazaire, shipyard STX France, 01/25/2014 (photo - Christian Plague, http://www.shipspotting.com/).

- January 31, 2014 - the media stated that USC will take about 1 year to integrate domestic systems at the Vladivostok DVKD. The integration of weapons systems and avionics will be carried out in Kronstadt.

Register of Mistral helicopter carriers(06/26/2013):

No. pp	Name	head №	plant	laid down	launched into the water	entered service	Status
01	Mistral L9013		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	10.07.2003	06.10.2004	February 2006
02	Tonnerre L9014			26.08.2004	26.07.2005	December 2006	French Navy, port of registry Toulon
03	Dixmude L9015		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	18.04.2009	10.12.2010	expected in May 2012 01/03/2012	transferred to the French Navy three months ahead of schedule, port of registry Toulon
04	Gamal Abdel Nasser Former No. 1 for the Russian Navy "Vladivostok" (according to the statement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy dated 02/01/2012)		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	2011 planned 02/01/2012 (construction of sections) 02/01/2013 (official bookmark, assembly)	plan - 10/15/2013 (06/26/2013) 10/15/2013 (actual)	planned 2014 (2012) plan 01.11.2014 (04.10.2013)	readiness of the ship - 36 months from the date of laying
05	Anwar al Sadat Former No. 2 for the Russian Navy "Sevastopol" (according to the statement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy dated February 1, 2012)		DCNS (Brest, aft and assembly) and Alstom (Saint-Nazaire, bow)	2012 planned (as of 2011) 06/19/2013 (construction started) plan - 07/04/2013 (official bookmark, 06/26/2013)	plan - October 2014 (June 2013)	planned 2015 (2012)	on order, port of registry Vladivostok, Pacific Fleet readiness of the ship - 36 months from the date of laying
06	No. 3 for the Russian Navy		possibly LAO, St. Petersburg, manufacturing of floating parts of the hull - "Baltic Plant". 22.12.2011 announced the possible construction at the Production Association "Sevmash"	-	-	-	Pacific Fleet or Northern Fleet, the decision on construction will be made in 2016 (01/24/2013)
07	No. 4 for the Russian Navy		possibly LAO, St. Petersburg, manufacturing of floating parts of the hull - "Baltic Plant" 22.12.2011 announced the possible construction at the Production Association "Sevmash"	-	-	-	Pacific Fleet or Northern Fleet, the decision on construction will be made in 2016 (01/24/2013)

Italic hypothesized data.

Sources:

"Baltic Plant" began cutting for the hull of the first "Mistral". Website http://flotprom.ru, 2012
Wikipedia is the free encyclopedia. Site http://ru.wikipedia.org, 2011
The French are changing the technical documentation for "our" Mistrals. http://navy-rus.livejournal.com, 12/08/2011
B.P.C. Russe. http://bmpd.livejournal.com/292022.html, 2012
Lenta.Ru. 2010-2012

Mistrals in Egypt. Video

Egypt will sell Mistrals to Russia for a symbolic sum of one US dollar. Mistral helicopter carriers, made in France, were originally intended for Russia. The order has already been completed according to the contract, and the devices have received the names "Sevastopol" and "Vladivostok". However, Paris refused to transfer the helicopter carriers because of the sanctions imposed on Russia and because of the deterioration of relations between Russia and Western countries. The fate of the Mistrals was decided for a rather long time, primarily because of their high cost, there was even talk of sinking the ships, however, in 2015, they unexpectedly found a buyer in the person of Egypt. At that moment, many were surprised - why does this African country need powerful warships? The answer suddenly came to light this year.

Mistrals. Egypt. Mnogohodovka

Today, the host of the Egyptian television channel SIS TV said the following: « Egyptian billionaire Nassef Onsi Sawiris, who allocated funds for the country's purchase of French Mistral helicopter carriers and actually owns them, decided to resell them to Russia for a symbolic price of $1. The issue of selling two ships to Russia was agreed with the President of Egypt, Abdul-Fattah Khalil Al-Sisi. This is an important step towards rapprochement between the two countries - Egypt and Russia, strengthening their cooperation and great friendship." There is an opinion that the original purchase of Mistrals by Egypt was authorized and sponsored by official Moscow.