The French helicopter transport ship Mistral sits docked at a quay on the Neva River in central St. Petersburg on November 23, 2009.
Newscom
Posted on 02/12/2010 2:54:26 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
French warship to Russia: Risky precedent or a cruise ship painted gray?
The US and other NATO allies worry that the French sale of a $750 million Mistral warship to Russia will set an arms-trading precedent. But analysts say the ship does not yet represent the transfer of cutting-edge technology to Russia
By Robert Marquand Staff writer / February 11, 2010 Paris
The sale in principle of a French assault ship to the Russian navy brought a stir this week – as the first military deal by a NATO member to Moscow, one that helps Russia’s ailing fleet, and one that may involve the sale of three more ships.
A deal for the French Mistral, a modern $750 million craft that carries helicopters and up to 900 commandos, took place more abruptly than expected by other NATO members – at a time when European security policy on Russia remains in flux.
A Russian admiral has said the Mistral would have cut the 2008 war in Georgia “to 45 minutes.” US defense chief Robert Gates in Paris this week expressed displeasure with the sale. But Jacques de Lajugie, head of international development at the French arms agency DGA, said it may be the beginnings of a beautiful friendship: “It is no longer one command ship, but four” sought by Moscow.
Yet while NATO defense analysts hope the sale doesn't set a precedent, they also argue that the military attributes of the Mistral are not significant. Much of the Mistral was built in the Saint-Nazaire yard, where luxury cruise liners and ocean vessels like the Queen Elizabeth 2 are put to sea. Moreover, while the Mistral, named for a sharp and chilly Mediterranean wind, has conjured images of a bristling attack boat – it has little armor and does not include the
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
The French helicopter transport ship Mistral sits docked at a quay on the Neva River in central St. Petersburg on November 23, 2009.
Newscom
A Russian KA-52 Alligator landing on the Mistral in 2009
You see that diesel-looking sub on the other side of the dock?
Considering an Arleigh Burke class warship costs 900$ million, it’s a gray cruise ship.
A Princess phone in every compartment just ain’t gonna do it. :-)
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