NEWS!
Navantia was invited to participate in international competition for the Russian helicopter carrier
14/09/2009 (Infodefensa.com) Moscow - Spanish shipyards Navantia have been invited to participate in an international competition that will convene for the acquisition of Russian helicopter carrier, which also chooses the French company DCNS, including posting as commander Russian Navy Vladimir Visotski.
"I confirm that negotiations are held (on purchase of helicopter carrier), but I think it will open a competition," said a media Visotski in Kaliningrad, Russian city on the Baltic Sea, RIA Novosti reported.
According to the Russian Admiral, several countries have knowledge of, and "may participate in the contest both France and Holland and Spain," as long as you're willing to transfer technology for building such a vessel.
In this sense, Visotski said the United States stayed on the sidelines of the negotiations "for obvious reasons" and, in particular, stressed that Washington is "very sensitive" about the transfer know-how to other countries.
Visotski noted that the new ship will increase the combat capability of the Russian Navy. "Take for instance what happened in Georgia in August last year. This will ship in 40 minutes what was done in 26 hours on that occasion," he noted.
Navantia and its LHD
The construction of modern ships LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) is a specialty of Navantia which currently has manufacturing designs for Spain and Australia. In the Spanish case, this is the vessel Juan Carlos I, with a displacement of 27,100 tons larger than the French Mistral (21,500).
The LHD Juan Carlos I, launched in March last year in Ferrol, has a large capacity tanks and cargo holds as well as a wide 202x32 flight deck of aircraft and helicopters.
At the same time, the company that now runs Aurelio Martinez also won the international competition held in Australia for the purchase of two vessels of this type, defined in Spain as a Strategic Projection Ship.
With an initial investment of 360 million euros, the Juan Carlos I has 230 meters, an allocation of 243 staff and has a capacity to transport 1200 for amphibious operations or military of any kind.
France introduced the Mistal
The now three-September, the French Defense Ministry confirmed its interest in participating in bidding for the amphibious assault helicopter carrier with service that exists in its infancy, the Mistral class of the public company DCNS.
Russia shows interest in our helicopter carrier. The application is now a general, "said ministry spokesman Laurent Teisseire.
The French Navy helicopter carrier currently has two of that kind, Mistral and tonnere. Its total price is about 600 million euros.
Multipurpose Vessel
During the summer, the head of the Russian General Staff Nikolai Makarov, said that for the first time, the Russian Navy will bring to tender the purchase of a helicopter carrier design, construction of which is joint. Advancement to the initial requirements are for three or four units.
According to Makarov, the helicopter carrier that requires Moscow to be a multi-purpose vessel designed to address a variety of missions from transporting helicopters, amphibious operations, troop transport and even serve as a command post for staff to drive operations.
The latter met the JCI perfectly!