French
shipbuilder DCNS has received advance payment from Moscow under a $1.2-billion
contract and will start the construction of the first warship for the
Russian Navy, the DCNS press service said on Wednesday. The two countries
signed a contract in June on two French-built Mistral class amphibious
assault ships including the transfer of sensitive technology.
“The advance payment was received several weeks ago and work on
the first ship is getting underway,” the service said. “The
first ship will be delivered in 2014 and the second in 2015."
Construction of the second ship should start in several months and will
proceed simultaneously with the first, but will depend on when the full
payment for the first ship is made, a DCNS source said.
A Mistral-class ship is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing
vessels, 70 armored vehicles, and 450 personnel.
A number of Russia's neighbors have expressed concern over the deal,
in particular Georgia and Lithuania. |
