Russian Navy to Receive 1st Mistral-Alike Helicopter Carrier in 2022

The construction of helicopter carriers, similar to Mistral-class ships, is part of the state armament procurement program for 2018-2025, the delivery of the first ship is planned in 2022, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In August 2015, Paris and Moscow formally terminated the 1.2-billion-euro ($1.35 billion at the current exchange rate) deal on the construction and delivery of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers, as France had refused to transfer them to Russia over its alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict. Shortly after, then French President Francois Hollande confirmed that a deal had been reached with Egypt on the delivery of the two Mistrals.

"Yes, it has been included in the new state arms procurement program. The construction of helicopter carriers takes an average of four years, so I think, yes, around that time [2022]," Borisov told reporters on the sidelines of HeliRussia-2017 exhibition.

Earlier, Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief Vice Adm. Viktor Bursuk said that the Russian Navy has prepared technical specifications for the development of a helicopter carrier to replace the Mistral ships.

After France's refusal to supply Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia, the representatives of Russian Navy and the military-industrial complex have repeatedly stated that the Russian domestic analogue of Mistral will be developed and will surpass the French vessels in some features.

The Mistral-Class Helicopter Carrier