Russian
Navy to buy L-CAT/EDA-R landing catamarans from France for Mistral class
LHD
Russian
Ambassador in Paris, Alexandre Orlov, Announced on Friday 23rd 2012
that Russia will be purchasing the L-CAT fast amphibious landing craft
(dubbed EDA-R for "engin de débarquement amphibie rapide"
by the French Navy) to be used with the Russian Navy's future Mistral
class LHDs.
CNIM's L-CAT,
named EDA-R in French Navy service
(picture: CNIM)
EDA-R (picture:
French Navy)
"We signed a contract
on the purchase of two Mistral class ships. The first is already under
construction in Saint-Nazaire, the second will follow. We also discussed
the construction of two Mistral LHDs in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Everything
is on schedule. There are also additional contracts. We will buy small
french boats that will be aboard the Mistral LHDs, they are landing
catamarans, "said the ambassador to reporters.
The L-CAT
variable draft system explained
(picture: CNIM)
Designed
to land troops and military vehicles from an over-the-horizon amphibious
vessel (30 nautical miles/55 km), the L-CAT can be used for humanitarian
operations in areas lacking port infrastructures. With a length of 30
meters and a width of 12 meters, the L-CAT has a payload of 80 tons
with a speed of 18 knots fully loaded and 30 knots when empty. Its doors
at the front and rear simplify the loading and unloading of vehicles.
Russia and France signed an agreement in June 2011 for the construction
of two Mistral
class BPC for the Russian Navy. The first ship of the class
will be named "Sevastopol" and the second, "Vladivostok".
Both ships to be built by DCNS at STX shipyards of Saint-Nazaire.
The hulls of the third and fourth Mistral-type vessels purchased by
Moscow will be built in Russia.
