Stern portion of first Mistral helicopter carrier launched at Baltiysky Zavod (St. Petersburg)
According to the Russo-French contract on the construction of two Mistral type helicopter transporting amphibious assault ships for the Russian Navy, the stern portion of the first helicopter carrier "Vladivostok" was put afloat in St.Petersburg on Wednesday, Itar-Tass cites Alexei Kravchenko, spokesman for the Joint Shipbuilding Corporation.
"The Baltic Shipyard has set afloat the stern portion of the first helicopter carrier in St.Petersburg," the spokesman said. "The Baltic Shipyard fulfills its contract obligations in full despite annoying problems such as a number of inaccuracies in the design documentation provided by the French partners," the spokesman said.
On July 4 the stern portion of the helicopter carrier will be sent to the French Shipyard in Saint Nazaire to be docked with the other part of the ship which was built in France, Kravchenko said.
A Mistral-class ship with displacement of 21,000 tonnes and maximum hull length of 210 meters can move at a speed of over 18 knots. The endurance is up to 20,000 miles. The ship with 160 crew members can additionally take 450 soldiers on board and transport 16 helicopters.
Russia and France signed a contract for two French-built Mistral-class helicopter carriers in June 2011. The second ship, “Sevastopol”, is expected to join Russian Navy 2015. The keel laying ceremony for "Vladivostok", which is to join RF Navy in 2014, was held in Saint Nazaire on February 1.
