Where is the mistral? Mistral - landing ships-helicopter carriers

Three years ago, France refused to transfer Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia in connection with the annexation of Crimea and the situation in eastern Ukraine. Having terminated the 2011 contract worth €1.2 billion, Paris returned previously supplied equipment to Moscow and paid a penalty in the amount of €949.7 million.

What about the Mistrals?

Helicopter carriers were purchased by Egypt. In June 2016, the Mistral was sent to Alexandria. They were given new names in honor of former Egyptian presidents. “Vladivostok” became “Gamal Abdel Nasser”, and “Sevastopol” became “Anwar Sadat”.

According to media reports, in 2018, Mistrals took an active part in the anti-terrorist operation against militants of the Islamic State banned in the Russian Federation in the north and central part of the Sinai Peninsula. On February 9, they took part in Operation Sinai 2018, supported by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, in the Nile Delta and desert areas of western Egypt. In particular, special naval units were landed from the Mistrals to carry out operations to clear the coast in the El-Arish area.

Helicopter carriers are also used to conduct various joint military exercises. The helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser participated in naval military exercises together with units of Cyprus and Greece “Medusa-6”, and “Anwar Sadat” participated in the joint exercises of France and Egypt “Cleopatra-2018” in the Red Sea. During the exercises, the interaction of ground, air and sea forces during landing operations, joint actions to plan and manage offensive and defensive operations, as well as to detain ships in the event of their possible violation of territorial waters, were practiced.

In addition to participating in joint and anti-terrorist operations, Egypt uses helicopter carriers to guard remote offshore gas fields, which are located more than 200 kilometers from the coast.

The French were not particularly upset, because even then Egypt was showing an active interest in purchasing ships. Paris and Cairo agreed on the terms of the deal as quickly as possible, and already in June 2016, the Mistrals set off for Alexandria, having previously taken part in joint naval maneuvers of the two countries.
In the land of the pyramids, helicopter carriers received new names, the ships were named after former presidents of Egypt. “Vladivostok” became “Gamal Abdel Nasser”, and “Sevastopol” became “Anwar Sadat”.
Russia was not left out either. Since these Mistrals were created specifically for the needs of domestic aircraft, Cairo bought 50 Ka-52k and Ka-29/31 helicopters from Moscow.
Well, already this year both Mistrals began to take an active part in the anti-terrorist operation against Islamists in Sinai. Helicopters based on ships are engaged in clearing operations along the coast of the peninsula.
Currently, judging by the latest news, the helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser is participating in naval military exercises together with the Meduza-6 units of Cyprus and Greece. With its help, the interaction of ground, air and sea forces during landing operations is practiced. Thus, the former Vladivostok and Sevastopol are actively used in their new homeland for their intended purpose.

The origins of the Mistrals are known in great detail. Universal amphibious helicopter dock carriers, adopted by the French Navy in the amount of three units. Large ships with a total displacement of over 20 thousand tons with a continuous flight deck, a hangar for aircraft equipment and an aft docking chamber for landing boats.

They are built on a modular basis in accordance with civil shipbuilding standards, which has a positive effect on reducing costs and accelerating the pace of their construction. The maximum duration of construction, taking into account all identified problems and inevitable delays, does not exceed 34 months. The cost of purchasing two ships under the “Russian contract” amounted to 1.2 billion euros, which corresponds to the cost of one amphibious transport dock ship of the San Antonio type (USA). Impressive.

The use of civil shipbuilding standards and technologies in the design of the UDC seems to be a justified decision - the concept of using the UDC does not imply direct participation in hostilities. High survivability, resistance to hydrodynamic shocks and combat damage, the presence of strike weapons - all these points do not apply to the Mistral.

The tasks of the ferry ship are:
— delivery of an expeditionary marine battalion to anywhere in the world;
— over-the-horizon landing of personnel and equipment in low-intensity conflicts using helicopters and amphibious assault vehicles;
— participation in humanitarian missions;
— performing the functions of a hospital ship and command post.

The combat information center on board the French "ferry" is equipped at the level of the cruiser's CIC.

How “French” is Mistral?

The Mistral UDCV project was born thanks to the efforts of the General Armament Delegation (Délégation Générale pour l’Armement) and the French state defense company DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales) with the involvement of a number of foreign contractors:
— Finnish Wärtsilä (marine diesel generators),
- Swedish branch of Rolls-Royce (Azipod-type steering columns),
— Polish Stocznia Remontowa de Gdańsk (blocks of the middle part of the hull forming a helicopter hangar).

The development of the combat information system and means of detecting the ship was entrusted to the international industrial group Thales Group, a world leader in the development of radio-electronic systems for aerospace, military and marine equipment. The self-defense air defense system was supplied by the European company MBDA.

The multinational format of the project does not confuse the French at all - a single European space with a single currency, living under the same laws and rules. General goals and objectives. A fleet built according to uniform NATO standards.

But, what is most surprising, the project is not limited to the European continent: the threads of this story stretch far to the east, to South Korean Gyeongsangnam-do. To where the STX Corporation headquarters is located.

The Mistrals for the French Navy were costed according to the following scheme: the UDC hull was ultimately formed from two large sections - bow and stern. The stern and superstructure of the Mistral was built at DCNS's own facilities with the participation of many subcontractors: the skeleton of the stationary ship was regularly towed from one French shipyard to another, where it was gradually supplied with equipment.

The main part of the assembly work was carried out in Brest; the Rolls-Royce Memade engines and steering columns were installed in Lorient. The final saturation of the finished hull section and the installation of electronics and radio systems were carried out by specialists from the ship repair yard in Toulon. In total, DCNS accounted for about 60% of the work performed.

The bow of an amphibious helicopter carrier was built in Saint-Nazaire, at the famous shipyard "Chantiers de l'Atlantique", which at that time belonged to the French industrial giant Alstom. This place became the cradle for the most impressive projects in the field of large-tonnage shipbuilding - the legendary liner Queen Mary 2 set off from here. Here, in the 70s, a series of Batillus-type supertankers with a deadweight of more than half a million tons were built! The nasal parts of each of them were also assembled here.

In 2006, the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard became the property of the Norwegian industrial group Aker Yards. However, soon, in 2009, the shipyard, like the entire Aker Yards group, was absorbed by the South Korean corporation STX. The third Mistral-class ship, Dixmude (L9015), was already being completed by the Koreans.

The Mistral helicopter carriers were built by the whole world. France with the participation of Poland, Sweden, Finland... - the entire European Union is assembled! At French and South Korean shipyards. Despite such a complex industrial chain and a huge number of foreign contractors, the new UDCs, in general, met the expectations of the French Navy command - a universal and relatively cheap means of delivering humanitarian aid and expeditionary units to countries in Africa and the Middle East.

For example, the Diximude UDC took part in Operation Serval (suppression of unrest in Mali, 2013), delivering units of the 92nd Infantry Regiment from France to the African continent.

"Mistral" - a ship without a homeland

With the French Mistrals, everything is extremely obvious - the ships were built through the joint efforts of partner countries. The close economic, political and military ties between the countries of the Eurozone and even the distant, but in fact close, Republic of Korea are beyond doubt. Unified international standards and transnational companies are erasing the boundaries of states, uniting under their leadership the scientific and industrial potential of many countries.

But where and how are the UDC Vladivostok and Sevastopol, two amphibious helicopter carriers intended for the Russian Navy, being built?

According to the contract, which has become the largest military deal between Russia and Western countries since the end of World War II, in 2014 and 2015, the Russian Navy’s naval fleet should be replenished with two imported Russian-French-built UDCs. We quickly moved from words to action:

On February 1, 2012, cutting of metal for the first ship, called Vladivostok, began in Saint-Nazaire. On October 1 of the same year, work began at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg - according to the contract, domestic shipbuilders must build 20% of the aft sections of the helicopter carrier.

It is not difficult to guess that the general contractor was the South Korean STX - it is she, with the support of the French defense company DCNS and a number of third-party suppliers, that is building helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.

On June 26, 2013, the Baltic Shipyard completed the planned scope of work on time, launching the stern of the new Mistral - a month later, the stern section was safely delivered to Saint-Nazaire for subsequent docking with the main part of the ship.

On October 15, 2013, the Vladivostok landing ship was officially launched. After completing all work at the French shipyard, it will move to the outfitting wall of the Severnaya Verf plant (St. Petersburg) for final saturation with domestic equipment.

It is expected that the new helicopter carrier will enter service with the Russian Navy at the end of 2014 - beginning of 2015. Less than three years from the date of bookmarking! An unprecedented result for domestic shipbuilding, where one frigate can be built over the course of 8 years.

The second ship of the “Russian series” - “Sevastopol” - was laid down on June 18, 2013. It will be built according to a similar scheme, with the only difference that the Baltic Shipyard will provide the construction of 40% of the UDC hull. The ship should enter service before the end of 2015.

Also, the agreement between Russia and France includes options for the construction of the third and fourth helicopter carrier under license at its own industrial facilities - it is assumed that for these purposes a new shipyard will be built on the island. Kotlin. But, as it became known at the end of 2012, plans to exercise these options were postponed from 2013 to 2016, which gives the whole story a hazy shade of uncertainty.

Among the suppliers and contractors in the global industrial chain are:: the Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), the state defense company DCNS, the Chantiers de l'Atlantic shipyard of the South Korean company STX, the Finnish Wärtsilä and the Swedish division of Rolls-Royce (power plants and propulsion). The participation of Thales Group is extremely important - the equipment and systems supplied by this company are of the greatest interest to the Russian military-industrial complex (primarily the Zenit-9 combat information and control system).

They also promise to equip the Russian helicopter carrier with Vampir-NG infrared search and targeting systems from the French company Sagem. Despite the abundance of foreign equipment, the French promise to carry out complete Russification of all ship systems in order to avoid any problems during its operation in the Russian Navy.

The air group will be represented by domestic Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters and attack vehicles. The first of the Russian Mistrals will have to be equipped with French-made high-speed boats - the layout and dimensions of the docking chamber were initially designed for the dimensions of NATO equipment. Therefore, it is not possible to effectively deploy existing Russian-made landing craft inside the Mistral. However, this is not the biggest problem, moreover, it was successfully resolved.

Counting the number of subcontractors who took part in the creation of a helicopter carrier for the Russian Navy, one can sing “Internationale” - the French landing ship turned out to be, in fact, “Noah’s Ark”, incorporating technologies and participants from all over the world. And we have to admit: the project was a 100% success.

Despite angry accusations of “wasting” public funds, the Mistrals turned out to be VERY cheap. 600 million euros ($800 million) for each combat unit - even taking into account all the additional procedures associated with fine-tuning the ship's systems, testing it and eliminating identified deficiencies - the cost of the Mistral will not exceed a billion dollars. This is incredibly high from the point of view of the average Russian. But mere pennies by the standards of modern shipbuilding.

800 million dollars - even a normal destroyer cannot be built for that kind of money now. American ones cost the Pentagon 1.8-2 billion dollars apiece. The cost of a small Russian one, according to the Main Command of the Navy, can reach 560 million dollars (18 billion rubles)!

In this case, we have a large helicopter carrier with a displacement of 20 thousand tons. Moreover, built in an extremely short time, the result is obvious, and it is difficult to notice any corruption component here. It is not possible to build something similar for a lower price.

"Mistral" - operating features

Fears that the Mistral will not be able to operate at temperatures below +7 degrees Celsius are completely unfounded.

Russia, along with Scandinavia and Canada, are undoubtedly the northernmost countries in the world. But let me ask you how this applies to Mistral? No one is talking about basing it in the Far North - Russia, fortunately, is monstrously large and we have enough other basing locations with more adequate natural and climatic conditions. Novorossiysk. The weather forecast for December 1 is plus 12°C. Subtropics.

Vladivostok is colder. Latitude is Crimean, longitude is Kolyma. However, even there the operation of the UDC should not encounter any critical difficulties - the operational zone of the Pacific Fleet includes the entire Asia-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean, where, as is known, the temperature rarely drops below +7° Celsius.

Mistral is not suitable for operations in the Arctic. But he simply has nothing to do there. But there is something to do in the Mediterranean and other southern seas.

Statements about the non-compliance of the infrastructure of the locations and the standards of domestic diesel fuel with European standards are not worth the candle. The Mistral is not as large as it is imagined - for example, it is smaller than the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great. The length of the helicopter carrier is only 35 meters longer than the average BOD or destroyer. The empty displacement of this “ferry” with the unloaded air wing, boats, equipment, weapons and fuel reserves should not exceed 15 thousand tons.

UDC "Dixiemude" (L9015) compared with the frigate of the "Lafayette" class (full capacity 3600 tons)

The only problem may be related to the maintenance of Azipod-type rudder propellers. In principle, this question should be addressed to ship repair centers in the Baltic and the North, however, not so long ago plans were outlined for the construction of a large shipbuilding enterprise in the Far East in cooperation with South Korea - by the time the Mistrals arrive must be decided.

UDC "Mistral" it is half the size of Soviet aircraft-carrying cruisers - let's hope that it will not repeat their fate and will receive all the necessary coastal infrastructure on time.

As for the inconsistency of domestic brands and varieties of fuel and lubricants with high-tech Mistral engines... Who can you surprise now with “outlandish” imported equipment - Finnish diesel generators from the Värtislya company?

The most formidable accusations brought against the French “ferries” are their low combat potential and absolute uselessness within the framework of the defensive concept of using the Russian Navy. The “cabin carrier” itself needs high-quality cover from the sea and from the air and is not capable of participating in a naval battle. Full speed 18 knots. Instead of serious self-defense systems - MANPADS and machine guns. Powerful radar equipment? Sonar? Strike weapons? Anti-submarine missile torpedoes? None of this exists and cannot exist - that is why the price for such a large ship is so low. From the navy's point of view, the Mistral is an empty box. The presence of 16 helicopters no longer means anything in modern combat - the Ka-52 is not a competitor to a fighter-bomber.

But as soon as you open the news file for 2013 - where and what the Russian Navy is doing - everything immediately falls into place. “Mistral” is not suitable for combating the AUG of a “probable enemy”, but it ideally corresponds to the tasks of ensuring the presence of the Russian Navy in the vastness of the World Ocean. A large ship with a monumental appearance and modern design, capable of being “on the front line” for months - off the coast of Syria or wherever required. Comfortable quarters for a Marine battalion. Cargo deck for armored vehicles. Helicopters. If necessary, “humanitarian aid” can be delivered to allies - and in a variety of ways. Non-version of the Soviet BDK!

Overall, the verdict is positive. The only truly worthwhile question is: could the Russian Navy do without purchasing these ships? Experts at various levels agree that buying Mistrals is far from the most rational decision. We still have enough large landing craft from the “Soviet reserve”. New ones are being built - project 11711 “Ivan Gren”. But there is a critical shortage of warships of ranks I and II - cruisers, destroyers, frigates. So much so that we have to assemble a Mediterranean squadron from all four fleets.

Finally, if our specialists were so eager to get acquainted with “advanced” Western technologies, they could have purchased equipment that was more interesting than the French “ferry”. Even with the Zenit-9 BIUS and Vampir-NG IR sensors.

For example, it would be interesting to examine up close the Franco-Italian Horizon-class frigate (destroyer) - the most powerful and advanced air defense ship in the world after the British Daring. If the Horizon turns out to be too secretive, a non-nuclear Skopren-class submarine with a Stirling engine could be suitable as a “demonstrator” of new technologies. That is, look at something that we don’t have analogues yet. The French (DCNS) and the Spanish (Navantia) are happy to build such equipment for export: for the fleets of India, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile...

Alas, the interests of the sailors remained in the shadow of geopolitical intrigues. We chose. So take it quickly, without further ado! So far, the allocated funds have not gone offshore.

Moreover, the boat really doesn’t seem bad.

For the Russian Navy. The first event of an optimistic nature occurred on February 1 in the small port town of Saint-Nazaire in western France - on this day, metal cutting began at the STX France shipyard for the first universal landing ship-helicopter carrier "Mistral a la Russe". Along the way, the name of the future ship became known - “Vladivostok”.
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 in which a good half of the world is involved. The total value of the contract, according to open sources, was 1.7 billion euros.

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

Million dollars!

A 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 of 11 thousand tons of steel structures of the old ship’s hull. The last of the large Soviet BDKs is sold at the price of ordinary scrap metal.
To a reasonable question: Why are you doing this? – representatives of the Ministry of Defense had a well-reasoned answer:

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to write off and scrap the Mitrofan Moskalenko landing craft primarily for economic reasons. Its repair would cost an amount that could be used to build at least two small artillery ships. But from a strategic point of view, its relevance is not obvious - Russia is not yet planning to land amphibious troops anywhere

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 of recycling old Soviet trash? The 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, conducting amphibious assaults is possible only in the form of joint operations by forces of Russia and NATO countries. Obviously, this contradicts Russia’s foreign policy interests, and, therefore, the Russian Navy does not need landing ships in principle.

The economic factor is also important - repairing the old large landing craft Mitrofan Moskalenko will cost the same as building 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 ship and a 500-ton coastal boat with primitive weapons.

Are you saying that repairing the Moskalenko costs the same as building two new small artillery ships? According to official data, the construction of the small artillery ship “Astrakhan” (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-class universal landing helicopter carrier-dock

Standard displacement 16,500 tons.
Total displacement 21,300 tons.
Length 199 m, beam 32 m, draft 6.3 m.
Power plant: three 32-cylinder ship diesel generators (Värtislya, Finland).
Propulsion: two Azipod-type steering columns (Rolls-Royce, UK).
Maximum speed 18.8 knots.
Cruising range: 10,700 nautical miles at economic speed of 15 knots.

Landing capabilities:
- dock chamber, 4 CTM-type landing boats or 2 LCAC-type high-speed landing hovercraft;
- 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 Leclerc MBTs 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 30 mm automatic guns.

Dixmude (L9015) in the Gulf of Jounieh (Lebanon)

Mistral is simply charming. Automated “all-electric vessel” requiring minimal logistics 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.

Grandiose flagship command post: amphitheater with an area of ​​900 square meters. meters, 160 operator workplaces, 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 on a modular basis, due to other rooms of the ship. If necessary, 100 medical staff can work here in 12 operating rooms.

The most modern detection means: Thales MRR-3D-NG three-dimensional radar, which provides control of the air situation within a radius of 180 km from the ship. Or the Vampir NG infrared search and targeting system, capable of detecting and tracking low-flying anti-ship missiles and speedboats 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 force accommodation. The latest electronics and control systems, spacious flight deck. Spacious holds and comfortable cockpits. A real landing helicopter carrier of the 21st century.

Large landing ship of Project 1174 (code "Rhino")

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

Landing capabilities:

The Rhino is capable of taking on board up to 2,500 tons of cargo: in the bow of the BDK 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 provides 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.

The bow gangway is 32 meters long and hydraulically driven. Landing of troops with non-floating equipment can be carried out directly on an unequipped coast with a ford depth at the end of the gangplank of no more than 1.2 m. According to statistics, the BDK Project 1174 can ensure landing using the bow gangway on 17% of the coast of the World Ocean.

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

To unload non-floating equipment without approaching the shore, six landing boats of Project 1176 (capacity 1 MBT, speed 10-11 knots) or three high-speed landing boats on the air cavern of Project 11770 “Serna” (speed up to 27 knots in waves 3 points).

Aviation weapons: two helipads with refueling systems; the ship can accommodate up to 4 Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters.
Also, the Rhino is equipped with a system for receiving liquid and solid cargo at sea.

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

Monumental ship! The predatory “jaw” of the bow gate, the structural trim to the stern, the heavy, developed superstructure. In general, a real Rhino!

Back in 1978, the Navy of the Soviet Union received unique naval equipment - a universal landing ship that has no analogues, capable of landing marine units both directly on an equipped or unequipped shore, and without approaching the coast: floating equipment - directly to the water, non-floating equipment - to deliver to the shore on landing boats. At the same time, landing personnel could be delivered to any place on the coast using 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 the Marines with solid fire support: two Grad-M MLRS installations (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 actually 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 USSR Navy had naval bases and logistics points around the world - from Vietnam and Cuba, to Somalia. As for the modern Russian Navy, our sailors clearly will 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 does not have any advantages over the old BDK Project 1174.

The carrying capacity and capacity of the Mistral is naturally greater - it is 1.5 times larger than the Rhino. But is the advantage of the French ship really that noticeable? Advertising brochures claim 120 units of automotive equipment on board the Soviet BDK and 280 units of equipment on board the Mistral.
But it is important to understand that a warship is not a means of ferrying used foreign cars from Japan. Paratroopers going into battle require very specific equipment - TANKS. Practice shows that without the support of heavy armored vehicles, entering into battle is problematic and dangerous. The landing force definitely needs an MBT.

How many main battle tanks can fit on board the Mistral and Rhino?
The answer is paradoxical: the same! On average - one battalion consisting of 40 MBTs. It seems that not every cargo deck on the Mistral will support the weight of a 50-ton tracked combat vehicle. True, in this case, the Rhino will also have troubles - it will have to abandon the landing boats, placing the tanks in the empty docking chamber.
(there are various pessimistic assumptions that the maximum number of MBTs on board the Mistral cannot exceed 5...13 units - the tanks are placed on the platform in front of the docking chamber and directly on board the landing boats. The remaining decks and ramps of the French ship have a limit on the weight of armored vehicles - no more than 32 tons)

As for aviation weapons, the domestic BDK, of course, is a net loser: 3 times less landing sites, only four helicopters. However, what does this matter in real life? – for a real landing 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 with missile launchers and artillery barrels on all sides.

Of course, no one has any illusions about the combat capabilities of the outdated Osa-M air defense system... but what’s stopping you from dismantling the complex and installing something else in its place? For example, the compact ship-based air defense system "Shtil". Not satisfied with the 26-ton AK-726 artillery mount? Replace it with a new A-192 system of larger caliber. And what prevents you from installing the Broadsword missile and artillery system instead of the AK-630 “metal cutter” battery?
Finally, the Grad multiple launch rocket systems. The legendary weapon, even after half a century, remains one of the deadliest missile and artillery systems and is unlikely to need replacement.

You will say that this is a very expensive proposal, a radical reworking of the Rhino 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 Rhino BDK.

As a result, we are observing 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 Rhinoceros is much preferable when performing the main task of landing ships - delivering heavy equipment and armored vehicles to the shore (everything else can be done by ordinary container ships and destroyers). Unlike the Mistral, it does not need to waste time moving tanks from cargo decks to landing boats and then unloading them on the coast. Filling the dock chamber with water, mooring the boats... is too long and labor-intensive.

The “Rhinoceros” will simply approach the shore, stick the bow gangway into the sand and land the equipment under its own power. Don’t be scared by the statistics that only 17% of the coast of the World Ocean is suitable for landing through the bow gangway of the large landing craft (suitable bottom slope, soil type, etc.) - in reality, this means hundreds of thousands of kilometers of coastline. You can always find a suitable place.

However, the point is not even in the number of guns and tanks on board the Rhino or Mistral. Those articles on the national economy that the author was able to read clearly indicate that the most profitable investment is investing in your own production. Protectionism, protection of domestic producers, customs barriers - all this is real confirmation of this theory.

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

The Egyptian authorities and military act rather closed and slowly, so any earlier story about the fate of the Mistrals, which were acquired by Egypt for its navy, would inevitably contain elements of speculation and fantasy. Now everything has become more or less clear and we can tell you what is known about the deal. So, after all, Egypt bought the ill-fated Mistrals and even claims to have found a use for them. We will present the data we know in the form of questions and answers.

Where is the Mistral today?

Did Egypt buy the Mistral or did Egypt buy the Mistral?

Egypt bought one Mistral - namely Vladivostok. The second one will most likely be purchased by the United Arab Emirates. This requires Moscow's consent, since there is Russian equipment on board the ships. In the case of Egypt, agreement was reached quickly. Any country laying claim to the second Mistral will also negotiate with Russia. Countries openly hostile to the Russian Federation are excluded from the list of buyers.

When did Egypt sign the contract for the Mistral?

Negotiations began in August. The contract was signed personally by the country's President Abdel Fatta al-Sisi and French President Hollande. This happened during a bilateral meeting in France. On September 23, a press release was published in which it was said that France and Egypt had agreed in general terms that one of the Mistrals would be purchased by Egypt. France repeatedly, as Hollande was impatient to prove that France would not be left with nothing after this whole story. However, press reports that the Vladivostok is about to put to sea and head to Alexandria are nonsense. The transfer of the ship is scheduled for March 2016, since an Egyptian team needs to be trained to operate it. Even for much smaller military vessels.

How much did the Mistral cost and who will pay for it?

There is very conflicting information. For obvious reasons, the details of this transaction are not disclosed. In the military-industrial complex it is customary to shamelessly inflate prices and issue kickbacks - this business has very ancient laws. A figure of 950 million euros has been leaked from French circles. This is the price of two ships with the cost of training to operate on French and Russian equipment.

Saudi Arabia will pay for Egypt's armament.

Where will the Egyptian Mistral be sent and what will it do?

It was rightly noted earlier that. This remains the pure truth even now, since this “hippopotamus” simply does not fit into the naval doctrine of the Arab Republic of Egypt. A two hundred meter long ship needs protection. And he simply has no business in the typical tasks of the Egyptian fleet. and smugglers on rubber punts. However, the Cairo authorities let themselves be persuaded trio of Paris, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. And somehow they will be able to protect their precious acquisition.

The La Tribune newspaper claims that the Mistral will serve in the Red Sea. This is quite logical, since only there he can come up with some kind of business: sail along Yemen and make melancholy colored herring under the protection of , recently acquired by Egypt. In the Mediterranean, this ship will be in slightly greater danger.

The significance of the Mistral sale and purchase transaction to Egypt

The Ahram newspaper claims that this Mistral will be the only aircraft carrier in the Arab world. This, of course, should please the pride of the Egyptians, but it has no practical benefit from the perspective of Egypt’s naval doctrine. Therefore, answering the question “Why does Egypt need the Mistrals”, you need to answer the question - why were they sold?

France interested hush up the topic as quickly as possible, since the disruption of Mistral deliveries to Russia coincided with troubles throughout the entire military-industrial complex of this country. And the sooner the Mistrals find a new owner, the better. France itself does not need them and there is no one to pay for them - French legislators will not provide money from the budget for new ships.

Riyadh needs will enlist Egyptian support in Yemeni issues. The war in Yemen is long and serious. Therefore, Egypt is needed as a reliable ally in regaining control over the country. The invasion of Yemen is considered a gamble, and complete victory there is unlikely. However, excess funds may well remain in the form of heavy metal.

Russia received during the termination of the transaction more than she would have received from its execution. The money is back. Some technical secrets of French shipbuilders have migrated to Russian production and will most likely emerge in the form of new developments. Russian modules on the Mistrals guarantee the purchase of Russian weapons and contracts for personnel training.

An important party to the deal is Abu Dhabi. After all, it is the UAE-KSA-ARE alliance that is still considered an informal association that claims military dominance in the region. At the same time, only Egypt has a significant army, and Saudi Arabia and the Emirates have significant money. The acquisition of the Mistrals strengthens this alliance and shows what is expected of Egypt. Describing the power of Egypt after the acquisition of the Mistral, the press speculates that it could be used to protect the notorious entrance to the Red Sea “from pirates.” It is true that it has somehow been forgotten that the problem of piracy has not tormented Somalia for a long time.

It is possible that Mistral will appear in the Mediterranean, where it can carry out attacks on Libyan territory. However, everything is much more complicated here - there is no direct benefit for Egypt's sponsors in this participation. The option of supporting the Russian military operation against ISIS in Syria is completely excluded, since this directly contradicts the interests of the sponsors - the UAE and KSA.

The option of selling the ship to Russia is too demonstrative. Egypt will not agree to this, since the Saudis, who paid for the entire deal between Paris and Cairo, will be against it. The deal with the sale of fifty Ka-52 helicopters also somehow still raises doubts.