© Christophe Kermarrec

Moscow is no longer negotiating only with France for its invitation to tender on helicopter-carriers and has probably contacted Spain and South Korea. Responses to the tender for this contract estimated at $1.5 billion for four projection and command ships, including two locally manufactured under a technology transfer agreement, are expected in early November, according to the business publication. Russia wishes to acquire projection and command ships in the French-made Mistral class in order to modernize its fleet after the deficiencies revealed by the brief Russian-Georgian conflict in the summer of 2008 concerning South Ossetia. Citing concurrent sources, Les Echos explains that Moscow has probably, in addition to France, contacted Spain and South Korea. The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, reaffirmed in early September that his country was conducting negotiations « exclusively » with France on this matter. A Russian Navy official, quoted by the Russian news agency Interfax, said late September that Moscow had practically decided to purchase the Mistral class helicopter-carriers from France and the invitation to tender was only a formality. Manufactured by DCNS, a public company whose defense electronics specialist, Thales, owns 25%, the Mistral is a multipurpose ship that can carry helicopters and heavy tanks, or a thousand men. (Source: Reuters/Les Echos)