Russian amphibious assault ship Sevastopol

Sevastopol at Saint-Nazaire, 30 December 2014
Career (Russia)
Name: Sevastopol
Ordered: June 2011
Builder: STX France Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, Saint-Nazaire, France
United Shipbuilding Corporation Baltiysky Zavod shipyard, St. Petersburg, Russia
Laid down: 18 June 2013[1]
Commissioned: 2015 (planned)
Status: Under Construction
General characteristics
Class and type:Mistral-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement:16,500 tonnes (empty)
21,300 tonnes (full load)
32,300 tonnes (with ballasts)
Length:199 m (653 ft)
Beam:32 m (105 ft)
Draught:6.3 m (21 ft)
Installed power:3 × Wärtsilä 16V32 (3 × 6,200 kW)
Speed:18.8 knots (34.8 km/h; 21.6 mph)
Range:10,800 km (5,800 nmi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
19,800 kilometres (10,700 nmi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Armament:2 × 3M-47 Ghibka turret
2 × 30 mm AK-630
4 × DP-65 antisaboteur grenade launchers[2]
Aircraft carried:8 × Kamov Ka-52K attack helicopters (Naval version of Ka-52 which is under construction)
4 × Kamov Ka-29TB transport helicopters
4 × Kamov Ka-27P ASW helicopters.[3]
Aviation facilities:Helicopter deck and hangar

Sevastopol is an amphibious assault ship of the French Mistral-class currently under construction that had been ordered by the Russian Navy.[4] In September 2014 increasing criticism of Russia by western nations over its intervention in the internal affairs of Ukraine triggered France to announce it planned to withhold delivery of the Mistral-class vessels.[5]

History

The Russian government placed an order for the ship in 2011. The construction of the ship will be shared between the countries with France building about 60 percent and Russia 40. Work started in France, Saint-Nazaire, on 18 June 2013 and in the Russian Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in St. Petersburg on July 4, 2013.[6] Russia will send its parts to France for final assembling.[7] The ship is expected to join the Russian Navy in 2015.[8][9][10][11]

After final assembly of the main structures in France the ship is scheduled to return to St. Petersburg for the outfitting of additional Russian-specific weapons and subsystems.[12]

The Russian acquisition of French Mistral-class amphibious assault ships is considered to be the largest defense deal between Russia and the West since World War II.[13]

In 2014 as criticism of Russian intervention in Ukraine grew France came under increasing pressure to cancel or suspend the delivery of the two Mistral-class hulls, Vladivostok and Sevastopol.[4] Some commentators suggested France try to find alternate customers for the two vessels.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Франция закладывает второй корабль типа "Мистраль" для России | РИА Новости". Ria.ru. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  2. ↑ DP-65 antisaboteur grenade launchers
  3. ↑ "Russia’s Mistrals will be rapid response ships - News - Society - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video". :. 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jim Dorschner (2014-09). "A Tale of Two Ships: Turning Russia's Loss into a Mistral Bounty for NATO and Canada – 'NATO Naval Ship Alliance' and 'HMCS Resolute'". Canadian American Strategic Review. Archived from the original on 2014-09-15. The September 2014 decision by France to withhold delivery of two Mistral class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), being built for Russia, represents a tremendous opportunity for the NATO alliance, for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), and even for a French shipbuilding industry and economy that might otherwise lose out. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ↑ Dennis Lynch (2014-09-03). "Ukraine Crisis: France Suspends Delivery Of Warships To Russia". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 2014-09-15. France will not move ahead with the delivery of the first of two Mistral amphibious assault ships to Russia because of Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, the office of President François Hollande said in a statement Wednesday.
  6. ↑ "Строительство УДК "Севастополь" - Сделано у нас". Sdelanounas.ru. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  7. ↑ 01.10.2012. "First Mistral Laid Down at Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard". Rusnavy.com. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  8. ↑ "Russian Navy to Receive Mistral Warship in 3 Years | Defense | RIA Novosti". En.rian.ru. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  9. ↑ John Pike. "Russia signs $1.7 bln deal for 2 French warships". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  10. ↑ "Vladivostok, Russian Navy future Mistral class LHD, specificities and characteristics(Navy recognition)". March 17, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Russia Moves Mistral Stern Construction to France". June 21, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Russia Moves Mistral Stern Construction to France | Defense | RIA Novosti". En.rian.ru. 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  13. ↑ "France, U.S. Discuss Russian Mistral Carrier Query | Defense News". defensenews.com. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  14. ↑ Stephen Daly (2014-04). "French Amphibious Warfare Ships for Russia? Economic Sanctions, Coincident Procurement Opportunities, and the Mistral Class LHDs". Canadian American Strategic Review. Archived from the original on 2014-09-06. Retrieved 2014-09-15. Then there is the possibility of poking Vladimir Putin in the eye by taking over ownership of the Sevastopol. Check date values in: |date= (help)