French mistral for Indian Navy.....

[marcos98]

French naval shipbuilder DCNS said on Thursday it expected to receive a final answer from Russia soon on buying a Mistral-class helicopter carrier.

"The company is interested in cooperation with Russia. Now we are waiting only for a political decision. We believe we'll receive an answer from Moscow soon," Benoit de la Bigne, a DCNS executive, said.

The Russian military earlier announced that it was considering buying one of the Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, worth 400-500 million euros (around $540-$675 mln), and potentially building three or four vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS.

A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 soldiers. The vessel is equipped with a 69-bed hospital and can be used as an amphibious command ship.

Many Russian military and industry experts have questioned the financial and military sense of the purchase.

Russia's current arms procurement program through 2015 does not provide for the construction or purchases of large warships, so the acquisition of a French warship is more likely under a new program, through 2020, which has yet to be developed.

The executive also said that India was displaying interest as well in buying a Mistral-class warship.

NEW DELHI, February 18 (RIA Novosti)

 

[DeathGod]

[B]The executive also said that India was displaying interest as well in buying a Mistral-class warship.[/B]

NEW DELHI, February 18 (RIA Novosti)[/quote]

I think these ships dont fit into India's strategic doctrine. From what I have read about these ships there are a fusion between amphibious assaul ship and A.C ( but only helicopters).


India is already building A.C's and if at all the navy wants amphibious vessels then it should go for pure amphibious platforms. If we consider only Pakistan and China then for Pakistan we dont need any assault ships(also INS Jalashva is there) and well for us to use assault ships against China will be very difficult.

All in all these will just be a show-piece for IN.

 

[marcos98]

I think these ships dont fit into India's strategic doctrine. From what I have read about these ships there are a fusion between amphibious assaul ship and A.C ( but only helicopters).


India is already building A.C's and if at all the navy wants amphibious vessels then it should go for pure amphibious platforms. If we consider only Pakistan and China then for Pakistan we dont need any assault ships(also INS Jalashva is there) and well for us to use assault ships against China will be very difficult.

All in all these will just be a show-piece for IN.

A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 soldiers. The vessel is equipped with a 69-bed hospital and can be used as an amphibious command ship.

 

[jha]

for low intensity conflict and rescue missions , this is just the answer...india desperately needs such beauties....carriers cant be deployed everywhere...totally makes sense..

 

[mrwarrior006]

could come in handy during disasters

rescue operations

 

[DeathGod]

could come in handy during disasters

rescue operations

I beg to differ from other posters.

1. Cant be used for low-intensity conflicts (given the nature of India's enemies)

2. Better alternatives exist for ships supporting rescue ops. Also one doesnt spend 400 mn for buying a rescue ship.

IMO this kind of craft can only be used for launching assaults on beach-head (only possible after we have acheived air supremacy and have more then 1 front of assault)

The platform though has capability of performing multiple roles but I cant see how it will fit into India's needs of weapon systems.

 

[attitude]

well it can play a role in indain navy

 

[DMLA]

IN has already made it clear that it is looking for 4 ships similar to the jalashwa type in the near future. GRSE is supposed to come up with a design asap if i remember correctly. Mistral's are very lightly armed imho. However, they can be used in disaster relief! I would rather go with the San antonio class if given the option!!

San Antonio class amphibious transport dock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[shchinese]

india is buying weapons from everywhere. that is indeed good.

gap is widening by the facts that Chinese have to develop its own industry and technology to get weapons like this, while india can just deny the investment to its people's education/healthcare and buy weapons.

I like the trend.

 

[Veer]

French naval shipbuilder DCNS said on Thursday it expected to receive a final answer from Russia soon on buying a Mistral-class helicopter carrier.

"The company is interested in cooperation with Russia. Now we are waiting only for a political decision. We believe we'll receive an answer from Moscow soon," Benoit de la Bigne, a DCNS executive, said.

The Russian military earlier announced that it was considering buying one of the Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, worth 400-500 million euros (around $540-$675 mln), and potentially building three or four vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS.

A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 soldiers. The vessel is equipped with a 69-bed hospital and can be used as an amphibious command ship.

Many Russian military and industry experts have questioned the financial and military sense of the purchase.

Russia's current arms procurement program through 2015 does not provide for the construction or purchases of large warships, so the acquisition of a French warship is more likely under a new program, through 2020, which has yet to be developed.

The executive also said that India was displaying interest as well in buying a Mistral-class warship.

NEW DELHI, February 18 (RIA Novosti)

I don't think India will order any more warship to a foreign country.

As our Navy Chief has clearly stated that the "Navy is not going to order any foreign made warship as we have indigenous facilities"

 

[Veer]

india is buying weapons from everywhere. that is indeed good.

gap is widening by the facts that Chinese have to develop its own industry and technology to get weapons like this, while india can just deny the investment to its people's education/healthcare and buy weapons.

I like the trend.

So u r back, can't resist troll.

 

[brahmastra]

I don't think we really need this.

 

[sancho]

I beg to differ from other posters.

1. Cant be used for low-intensity conflicts (given the nature of India's enemies)

2. Better alternatives exist for ships supporting rescue ops. Also one doesnt spend 400 mn for buying a rescue ship.

IMO this kind of craft can only be used for launching assaults on beach-head (only possible after we have acheived air supremacy and have more then 1 front of assault)

The platform though has capability of performing multiple roles but I cant see how it will fit into India's needs of weapon systems.

You already pointed out 2 roles that it can perform better than our normal carriers, troop landing and humanitarian missions. Also with the higher number of helicopter it carriers, we could use it against the piracy problem at the costs of Somalia. Instead of sending some Frigats with only 1 helicopter only, such a carrier could patrol in a way wider area. Not to forget that it can also be deployed in the ASW role, which imo is the most important role of OUR carriers anyway! In a war against China for example, not their surface fleet will be the main problem for IN, but their subs. That's way I think we should invest more in ASW warfare and to project this to a wider area we need long range MPAs and carriers with ASW capability. Japan build a carrier with ASW helicopters (although it's not called carrier, but helicopter destroyer), exactly for that reasons and with Chinese subs also in mind!

Hyuga Class Helicopter Carrier | Military-Today.com

So these kind of carriers have enough roles that they could not only perform in our navy, but also perform better than any of the vessels we have at present, or already build.

IN has already made it clear that it is looking for 4 ships similar to the jalashwa type in the near future. GRSE is supposed to come up with a design asap if i remember correctly. Mistral's are very lightly armed imho. However, they can be used in disaster relief! I would rather go with the San antonio class if given the option!!

San Antonio class amphibious transport dock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I would request to differ! Such carriers are more capable than normal amphibious transport docks like the Jalashwa, or San Antonio class. These are only meant for landing and transporting mainly cargo, but only have a few and mainly large transport helicopters on bord. In landing operations these ships will only assists, alongside such an helicopter carriers, which not only will be the comand post, but also the main troop transporter. Troops can be deployed by helicopters way faster and in larger distances, only for cargo, amphibious transport docks with LCACs for example will be more useful.

Imo IN should go for a helicopter carrier based on the Vikrant class carrier, so only the deck layout must be changed and get 2 new amphibious transport docks, to replace Jalashwa and be used alongside this carrier in war times.

 

[DMLA]

Imo IN should go for a helicopter carrier based on the Vikrant class carrier

Don't you think IN should instead go for additional Vikrant class? Have dedicated AC's to support the LPD's! I have always felt that even if IN decides to move on to heavier IAC's in future, vikrant is just too good a design to stop at one ship. Additional vikrants with F-35's, transport hellis will surely do the job you described without design changes. Though this would demand larger number of ships (LPD's), they will provide operational flexibility of having additional AC's! However, if IN is really looking at global footprint (blue water) as it seems to be the case, ships like the san antonio are of utmost importance and 4 seems about the right number.

F-35B will play a very important role for IN in future. I feel that it is imperative for IN to go for these and I have a gut feeling that it would do so sooner than we may think! They would be the key component for any future mistral/ vikrant class LHD ships providing valuable CAS if needed.

 

[sancho]

Don't you think IN should instead go for additional Vikrant class? Have dedicated AC's to support the LPD's! I have always felt that even if IN decides to move on to heavier IAC's in future, vikrant is just too good a design to stop at one ship. Additional vikrants with F-35's, transport hellis will surely do the job you described without design changes.

With the Gorshkov and the Vikrant we already will have 2 similar class carriers for each coast like this:

For sea control around our costal areas and with the stratigic advantage of the Andamans and Nicobar island, I think the next carrier should be bigger, with more range and endurance and with more capable aircrafts, to project the power to other areas of the world if necessary (to deter China of course).

Dedicated AC's are designed mainly to deploy and operate fighters and some helicopters. The US Wasp class instead, which has the similar size (around 40t displacement) and a similar number of crew like our Vikrant class, has space for nearly 2000 additional troops, vehicles and an airwing that includes 6 fighters, 7 smaller helicopters 16 heavy transport helicopters (CH47 and CH53) and up to 3 LCACs for beach landing. Vikrant class can (AFAIK) carry 16Migs, 6 N-LCAs, 3 Ka31 AEW and 5 smaller naval helicopters. So even if we replace most of the fighters on Virkant class with transport helicopters, its design (not only the deck layout) will not be as good as the Wasp design for other roles and it won't support LPDs as good.

Wasp class amphibious assault ship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The USN/USMC will go in future with San Antonio class LPDs, that will support the new America class carriers, which are similar to Wasp, but instead of the well deck and beach landing vehicles, they should deploy troops by helicopters only. The San Antonio LPDs will carry and deploy the heavy cargo and vehicles like MBTs via LCACs, or LCUs.