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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
French Warship for Russia 'Won't Work in Cold'
2013-01-31
Suckers.
MOSCOW, January 26 (RIA Novosti) - Two amphibious assault ships bought for the Russian Navy from France in a 1.2 billion euro deal will not be able to operate in temperatures below seven degrees centigrade, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin admitted on Saturday, in critical comments about the contract.

"It's very odd that ships for offloading a landing force, floating in our latitudes won't work in temperatures below seven degrees," said Rogozin, who has special responsibilities for the defense industry, in a meeting of the Academy of Military Science on Saturday.

"Maybe they thought weÂ’re going to undertake special operations in Africa but I doubt thatÂ’s going to happen," he added.

He did not elaborate on why the ships would not work in cool temperatures. It was also unclear whether he meant plus seven degrees or minus seven, as Russian-speakers often leave out the word for minus when they assume it is clear which side of freezing they are talking about.

Russia signed the 1.2 billion euro deal in June 2011 for two of the Mistral ships, which will carry helicopters to support landings by marines. The first of the ships is due for delivery in 2014.

The first Mistral is due to be deployed in Russia's Pacific Fleet, based in the port of Vladivostok, which is ice-free all year round but still experiences months of severe winter cold. The second is due to be deployed with the Northern Fleet, which also has ice-free bases, due to the Gulf Stream, but also experience very cold temperatures for several months a year.

It is the second time this week that the Mistral deal has come under fire from a senior defense official. On Thursday, Military-Industrial Commission Deputy Head Ivan Kharchenko described the deal to buy the ships as “absurd,” saying the deal had inflicted harm on the Russian shipbuilding industry.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  This thing about the cold temperatures is complete bogus. The Russians want to cut back on the deal because of internal protests and because they won't get the full amount of technology transfer they were hoping to. Two additional ships were going to be built under French guidance in Russia and the military couldn't handle it.
Posted by: European Conservative   2013-01-31 20:34  

#7   saying the deal had inflicted harm on the Russian shipbuilding industry

RIA Novosti could have published that one sentence and saved a lot of typing.
Posted by: Pappy   2013-01-31 17:22  

#6  I guess they'll just have to assign them to the Black Sea Fleet, it's not good enough for the weather anywhere else.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2013-01-31 11:56  

#5  Hate to say it, but Joe and Frank G are locked in a snark duel this morning...
Posted by: Steve White   2013-01-31 10:56  

#4  Now the French can play the 'ever increasing costs and delays' game the Russians played on the Indians for the ex-Admiral Gorshkov now INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier. Karma.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-01-31 07:39  

#3  We changed our mind, we ain't paying that much, 500 million euro, that's it.
Posted by: Shipman   2013-01-31 05:15  

#2  It was also unclear whether he meant plus seven degrees or minus seven,

Permit me to venture a guess. Since 7 C is about 45 F, a chilly fall day, I'm gonna go with -7 (19 F). Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be journalists.
Posted by: SteveS   2013-01-31 00:32  

#1  OOOOOOOOO, you just know the Propellers of the FNS CV CHARLES DE GAULLE taint gonna like the competition, even iff they are French.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2013-01-31 00:24  

00:00