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Russia Wants Formal French Answer on Mistral
PARIS — The French procurement office Tuesday declined to comment on a report Russia has asked for a written statement on whether the Mistral class helicopter carrier will be delivered to Moscow. Russia officially sent a written request to France for an explanation of the refusal to deliver the Mistral warship, Russian news agency Ria-Novosti reported, according to Agence France-Presse. A Russian official in the military and technical cooperation service sent the letter to the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) procurement office, "with the aim of receiving an official reply," the report said. A DGA spokesman declined to comment. Russia has called on France to either deliver the Mistral or hand back the payment........... The Mistral contract is understood to have been written under Swiss law. Under the force majeure clause in a sales contract, there is generally a 180-day suspension until a decision to cancel is required......... |
Now there are two Russbuckets in Saint Nazaire.
Sebastopol was floated out of construction in November and has just fired up her marine AIS, joining Vladivostok in the Penhoet Basin. This suggests that fitting out is nearing completion and she may be approaching sea trials time. I wonder if Vlad had a little on the side horoscope-reading chat with Francois in Moscow or Minsk in the last few days. ............... LFH
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Sebastopol first sea trials
French assault helicopter carrier Sebastopol was moved into the Normandie lock about 0700 today and exited for first sea trials after 1300. Currently mixing it with the fishing fleet between Belle-Ile and Noirmoutier.
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Seabass back in port in time for le haut thé and happy hour, Friday.
Presumably a scratch dockyard crew for the five day sea trials. Reported in today's Times (of London) that the EU is going wobbly over extending sanctions. |
Originally Posted by Lordflasheart
(Post 8910074)
Seabass back in port in time for le haut thé and happy hour, Friday.
Presumably a scratch dockyard crew for the five day sea trials. Reported in today's Times (of London) that the EU is going wobbly over extending sanctions. |
Russia wants €1.163 billion from France in compensation for cancelling a contract to deliver two Mistral helicopter carriers, a Russian source close to the negotiations said yesterday.
French president François Holland has come under pressure from his western allies not to deliver the Mistrals because of Russia’s role in the Ukraine crisis. He discussed the 2011 contract, worth €1.19 billion, with Russian president Vladimir Putin last month and Moscow said it was willing to accept financial compensation if Paris does not fulfil the deal. The source said Russia was eyeing €1.163 billion, confirming a report yesterday by Russian daily Kommersant, which also said Paris was offering to pay €785 million. “The €1.163 billion figure is a touch below the value of the contract,” said the source. The spokesman for the Kremlin reiterated yesterday that Russia was ready to accept financial compensation if France scraps the delivery and said the issue was not a major headache in relations between the two countries. “The principle is the following – either the goods or the money,” the spokesman said. – (Reuters) |
Seabass second sea trials. Sanctions. China ?
Seabass was tugged out at o-crack sparrers today 20th May and is underway for second sea-trials. Expecting a few days off Belle-Ile with a scratch constructors crew of around 200 - apparently enough for three eight hour watches.
There seems to be no change on the alleged conditions for handover of either boats or loot, as indicated in ORAC's post above. Vlad was quoted late April that he 'expected France to behave honourably and return Russia's money. He said he would not seek "excessive" penalties.' ..... such as the return of the 40% built in a Leningrad shipyard ? From the FT (of London) 18th May - discussing Washington's interest in the upcoming EU sanctions review - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1cd86b26-f...#axzz3afCKoTjX Quote - "..... concerns in Washington that some EU members might shy away from a full rollover of sanctions. In particular, French and Italian officials have raised the possibility of calibrating the extension to reflect “progress” as the conflict looks less like a full-scale war since the Minsk deal in February." ..... Don't think President Poroshenko would agree with that view. Entre-temps, retour au Ranch, l'affaire se corse ... Is China Eyeing These Advanced French Amphibious Assault Ships? | The Diplomat and others .... plus Dixmude visits Shanghai for weeks R&R 'Bucket and Spade' day trips to Spratley Beach anyone ? ............ LFH |
Well that was a quick week.
Seabass is back alongside in the Penhoet basin after only 24 hrs. Given the general expectation of a full week of second sea trials, either the trials went swimmingly well, or something needs a dockyard tweak before continuing, or possibly even a telegram saying-
請快上來，我們需要你很快 which might be remotely connected to this thread - http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...-oil-rush.html ............. LFH |
Russia changes its mind...
From the news in France this morning. Russia has decided that it is no longer interested in two helicopter carrier that it had previously ordered from France, deciding to build its own instead.
The €1.2 billion deal over two Mistral helicopter carriers has long plagued French-Russia ties - with a constant back and forth over their fate making headlines for over a year. On Tuesday, Russia finally decided that enough was enough and said that it would simply make its own. The matter was complicated due to Russia's involvement in the Ukraine crisis, which meant that France held back from delivering the ships even though Russia had paid for them. "Russia won’t take them, it’s an accomplished fact," Oleg Bochkaryov, deputy head of Russia's Military Industrial Commission, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. "Now there’s only one discussion — concerning the money sum that should be returned to Russia." Russian President Vladimir Putin had recently downplayed the importance of the ships, claiming that Russia ordered them mostly to help the French shipyard. He said earlier this month that Moscow wouldn't be demanding any penalties or exorbitant fines were it to cancel the deal. |
With the low price of oil etc and the sanctions that Russia has had imposed upon her, it could be argued that it is a good source of hard foreign currency.
The next question of course is what will happen to the ships and indeed the shipyards. |
It's costing someone 2.5 million Euros per month to keep Vladivostok alongside in Saint-Nazaire. Security, running costs, wharfage etc. Probably less than double for two. What's French for BOGOF ?
There was mention of moving them to Brest. The idea of a Chinese acquisition is now being touted as a non-starter. Why China Will Never Operate France?s Mistral-class Amphibious Assault Ships | The Diplomat |
Start a rumour that the Argentine government will buy them in exchange for beef exports......
Then watch the s**t hit the fan as everyone debates that Argentina will now have a significant amphibious capability and pose a real threat to the Falklands..... :E It worked for Fencers after all!! |
Deal Orff!:ooh:
OAP |
I think the Frogs now has whats called some COTS carriers for sale:p
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they certainly took a pasting over the costs (according to the Russians...). Loss of the sale and then massive damages including costs for Russian dock works and building prototype new choppers - ouch!
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Surprised our Indian friends didn't offer to take them of their hands at rock bottom prices.
They have the ambition (3 large Carriers in the near future) and these 2 LHD's would be a perfect fit for them. Also the Russian equipment on board is probably no issue for them as they already have ample experience working with it. Look at it as an addendum to the RAFALE contract to soften the price a bit. |
The French view of the current situation:
Russia Mistral: Hollande denies striking compensation deal - BBC News |
France and Russia agree to Mistral export termination
France and Russia agree to Mistral export termination
Russia and France have formally announced the cancellation of the troubled Mistral-class amphibious assault ships export contract that had been suspended since 2014 as a result of events in Ukraine. The Kremlin and the Elysee issued joint statements on 5 August confirming the termination of the agreement, with both governments stating that the matter had been "fully resolved". Under the terms of the agreement, France will return both funds (already paid by Russia) and Russian equipment that had been supplied for installation on the 21,000 tonne full load displacement landing helicopter dock vessels. The value of the sum to be reimbursed was not disclosed, although Russia noted in a statement released by the Kremlin that the funds have already been received from France. |
....."France will return both funds (already paid by Russia) and Russian equipment that had been supplied for installation".....
That should be an interesting challenge seeing as the sterns and part of the hulls were built in Russia... |
It seem that both Vladivostok and Sebastopol may have departed Saint-Nazaire 14th/15th January and have (once again) disappeared off the AIS scene. Last time this happened they mysteriously reappeared many miles inland as if someone was playing silly be***rs with the AIS beacons, so this apparent movement may be another red herring.
Or they could now be doing a road test with the new owners, who presumably will want to re-name them and have apparently already signed for some Ka-52Ks. Reported completion of the ship deal is mid-2016. Ka-52K Katran Helicopter - Naval Technology |
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