Russia to Build New Amphibious Assault Ship to Replace Mistral

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that Russia plans to build amphibious assault ships for naval Kamov Ka-52K attack helicopters.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia is to build amphibious assault ships for its naval Kamov Ka-52K attack helicopters originally designed for the French-made Mistral-class warships, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said Thursday.

Moscow and Paris officially terminated the $1.3-billion contract for the delivery of the Mistral-class warships in August 2015. Moscow subsequently received some $1 billion from Paris in compensation.

"We will build them. There will be new projects, the United Shipbuilding Corporation is looking into various options and is presenting these to us…This will be a matter for the 2018-2025 state armament program," Borisov told reporters during the ongoing HeliRussia-2016 helicopter exhibition in Moscow.

The Ka-52 Alligator (NATO reporting name Hokum B) and its Kamov Ka-52K modification were designed in accordance with Mistral parameters.

Earlier, Kamov Design Bureau's General Designer Sergei Mikheev told RIA Novosti that the helicopters will be put to use regardless of the Mistral suspension. The St. Petersburg-based Nevskoe Design Bureau is currently developing the Priboy large landing ship, which will become an alternative to Mistral, he added.

The Priboy is to have a displacement of 14,000 tonnes and will have the capacity to carry up to eight helicopters, as well as 50 armored vehicles and 500 marines, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.