Putin says Russia will buy Mistral only with technology transfer

[aimarraul]

Putin says Russia will buy Mistral only with technology transfer

Russia is interested in purchasing Mistral class amphibious assault ships from France only together with the accompanying technology, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on the eve of a visit to France.

Russia is negotiating the purchase of at least one French-built Mistral-class amphibious assault ship and plans to build three more vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS.

"For us, this deal is interesting only if it is accomplished with a parallel transfer of technology, so that our shipbuilders - both civilian and military - receive a new technological boost for development," Putin said in an interview with Agence France Presse and France 2 TV.

The prime minister, who will visit France on Thursday and Friday, also said that "cooperation in a field as sensitive as military-industrial manufacturing, of course, leads to higher trust between countries."

Putin reiterated that Georgia and other Russian neighbors should not fear the Mistral purchase because Moscow has no plans to attack other countries and hopes there will never again be a conflict similar to five-day war between Russia and Georgia in 2008.

"You know, it is not the case when it is necessary to deploy weaponry as the Mistral ship. I hope that, God willing, we will never see a military conflict between Russia and Georgia. Never," he said, before pointing out that Russia was able "to carry out military strikes from the Russian territory at any target in Georgia."

"We do not need a Mistral ship for that," he said.

A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 personnel.

The Russian military plans to use the Mistral ships in its Northern and Pacific Fleets.

Chief of Russian Armed Forces General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov said on Tuesday that Russia needs Mistral class amphibious assault ships primarily to boost the combat capabilities of its Navy in the Far East and ensure protection of the disputed Kuril Islands.

MOSCOW, June 9 (RIA Novosti)

 

[Luftwaffe]

Russia insists on tech transfer in French warship deal

The News
MOSCOW: Russia's top naval commander Saturday insisted the purchase of French warships would only go ahead if it included a transfer of technology, warning otherwise there was "no point" to the deal.

The comments by Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky came a day after French President Nicolas Sarkozy assured workers at a French shipyard that the decision to seal the deal with Russia was "certain".

"What is important here is to obtain the possibility of a transfer of key, fundamental technologies... not just in ship building but in several other areas," Vysotsky told the Echo of Moscow radio.

"This is without doubt the main condition for this transaction. If this does not happen then there is no point in undertaking this," he added.

"We do not need the ship but we do need its possibilities.

"We need its equipment. The point of the ship is in its absolute multi-functionality," he said.

Russia has been negotiating with France for months to buy the Mistral-class helicopter carriers but the deal has yet to be finalised, with the issue of technology transfer apparently the main sticking point.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told a foreign news agency last month that Moscow would only go ahead with the deal if it included a transfer of the technology that makes the Mistral one of the most powerful in the French fleet.

However Vysotsky's statement is the bluntest yet from a Russian military official about where Moscow sees its interests in the deal.

The deal would be the first sale of advanced military hardware to Russia by a NATO country and the sale has worried ex-Soviet states who now have tense ties with Russia, as well as some lawmakers in the United States.

Vysotsky said that other countries possessed technologies which Russia does not have and officials were "being crafty" if they claimed that Russia could develop these on its own.

Purchase of the ships and their equipment is seen as a major pillar in Russia's strategy to transform its armed forces from a structure inherited from the Soviet Union into a modern and dynamic fighting force.

The ships cost around 500 million euros (600 million dollars) each and Russia would purchase up to four of the vessels and also obtain the right to manufacture more at its own shipyards.

Vysotsky confirmed that the deal was now being overseen by one of Russia's most powerful figures and close Putin ally, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, who media expect to drive a hard bargain on the issue.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Interesting deveopment Russia squeezing french who are low on cash bad economy , to get some strategic gains

Wonder why ask now they could have got 2 ships and then debated a release of technology ...but I guess they have reservations

What special technology this ship might posses that is of such value to russia , sure it has a amphibious assalut capabilities and helipcopter bay ... but russia has its own carrier fleet ? no ??? Can't it create a hatch to launch vesseles ... suprised really

That Russia !! Can't figure it out ??? But french can ?

 

[HariPrasad]

This shows how advance France is.

 

[acid rain]

@iajdhani, damn! Russia needs technology transfer? what happened to their man in space?





lol@ jamaati logic for making weird connections.

 

[thesolar65]

If the french are really short of cash, then India can bargain hard for rafale??

 

[boomslang]

Vladi going to shoot down more passenger planes with the Mistrals ?