France's Mistral Warship Deal With Russia Is Off

[SvenSvensonov]

Definitely the Russians have amphibious warfare vessels, but the constraints in their current inventory is the fact that it would take too much time transport assets to area of strategic interests. For example, the Ropucha Class has a maximum load of about 4.08k tonnes, whereas 1 Mistral Class AAS has a full load displacement of 21.3k tonnes.

Yep, they have the capability, but the Mistral offers more the double the capability of the Ropucha Class, and is far more expensive. Still, when you're getting these capabilities, it's hard to complain.

Type: Landing helicopter dock
Displacement: 16,500 tonnes (empty)
21,300 tonnes (full load)
Length: 199 m (653 ft)
Beam: 32 m (105 ft)
Draught: 6.3 m (21 ft)
Installed power: 3 Wärtsilä diesel-alternators 16 V32 (6.2 MW) + 1 Wärtsilä Vaasa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3 MW)
Propulsion: 2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid azimuth thrusters (2 × 7 MW), 2 five-bladed propellers
Speed: 18.8 knots (35 km/h)
Range: 10,800 km (5,800 nmi) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
19,800 kilometres (10,700 nmi) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried: 4 CTM (chaland de transport de matériel)
alternatively, 2 LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion)
Capacity: 59 vehicles (including 13 AMX-56 Leclerc tanks) or a 40-strong Leclerc tank battalion
Troops: 900 (short duration)
450 (long durations)
150 (serving as operational headquarters)
Complement: 20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 quarter-masters
Sensors and
processing systems: DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250 navigation radar
MRR3D-NG air/surface sentry radar
2 optronic fire control systems
Armament: 2 × Simbad systems
4 × 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
Aircraft carried: 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters
Aviation facilities: 6 helicopter landing spots

*note!!!

substitute the electronics and defense systems for their Russian counterpart. The figures are for French Mistrals.

That being said... the Russian's are still in the processes of re-thinking their assault operations planning. They still rely on heavy lift helos and transports, airports secured by paratroops and special forces, to move their heavy equipment. The Mi-26 was created specifically to haul large payloads, such as mobile ballistic missiles, around the vast expanses of the Russian lands. Slowly, if the Mistral deal gets done or not, the Russians are learning and building up an amphib capability and battle plan, but currently their war-fighting capability is still predicated on heavy lift aircraft.

At one point this was the Russian idea of an AAS, and what a BadA** idea it was!!!

Historically, the Russians fought defensive battles, they never needed a projection capability and thus are only now learning how to use one.

 

[Aepsilons]

Yep, they have the capability, but the Mistral offers more the double the capability of the Ropucha Class, and is far more expensive. Still, when you're getting these capabilities, it's hard to complain.

Type: Landing helicopter dock
Displacement: 16,500 tonnes (empty)
21,300 tonnes (full load)
Length: 199 m (653 ft)
Beam: 32 m (105 ft)
Draught: 6.3 m (21 ft)
Installed power: 3 Wärtsilä diesel-alternators 16 V32 (6.2 MW) + 1 Wärtsilä Vaasa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3 MW)
Propulsion: 2 Rolls-Royce Mermaid azimuth thrusters (2 × 7 MW), 2 five-bladed propellers
Speed: 18.8 knots (35 km/h)
Range: 10,800 km (5,800 nmi) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
19,800 kilometres (10,700 nmi) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried: 4 CTM (chaland de transport de matériel)
alternatively, 2 LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion)
Capacity: 59 vehicles (including 13 AMX-56 Leclerc tanks) or a 40-strong Leclerc tank battalion
Troops: 900 (short duration)
450 (long durations)
150 (serving as operational headquarters)
Complement: 20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 quarter-masters
Sensors and
processing systems: DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250 navigation radar
MRR3D-NG air/surface sentry radar
2 optronic fire control systems
Armament: 2 × Simbad systems
4 × 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
Aircraft carried: 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters
Aviation facilities: 6 helicopter landing spots

*note!!!

substitute the electronics and defense systems for their Russian counterpart. The figures are for French Mistrals.

That being said... the Russian's are still in the processes of re-thinking their assault operations planning. They still rely on heavy lift helos and transports, airports secured by paratroops and special forces, to move their heavy equipment. The Mi-26 was created specifically to haul large payloads, such as mobile ballistic missiles, around the vast expanses of the Russian lands. Slowly, if the Mistral deal gets done or not, the Russians are learning and building up an amphib capability and battle plan, but currently their war-fighting capability is still predicated on heavy lift aircraft.

At one point this was the Russian idea of an AAS, and what a BadA** idea it was!!!
View attachment 159456

View attachment 159457

View attachment 159458

Historically, the Russians fought defensive battles, hence their tank design, they never needed a projection capability and thus are only now learning how to use one.

Holy Shoot! That's a bada$$ craft right there !!!