Rosoboronexport News

The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) Andhra Pradesh will soon have a world class maritime university. AP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russia's State Marine Technical University to promote marine education and technology. The agreement was signed at the port city of St. Petersburg on the first day of AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's visit to Russia on Wednesday. The Chief Minister held consultations with the heads of the university during his tour. The representatives of the university have also signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government on exchange of investment and naval technology between the two states.

The government of India has put forward a proposal of over Rs 50,000 crore ($6 billion) project to construct six stealth submarines in India. India is especially interested in acquiring the latest diesel- electric Soryu –class submarines, according to a report in the Times of India. The 4,200 tonne Soryu submarines, jointly manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, may not meet the Indian requirements but it may become a serious contender for the program called Project-75 India if Japan agrees to bid in the project. India is looking to manufacture these submarines in India under the newly launched ‘Make in India’ program.

Russia will take France to court within six months over its failure to deliver the first of two Mistral-class warships to the Russian navy, the Russian Defense Minister has said. “There is a contract, so everything must be strictly complied with,” Sergei Shoigu said. The dates there are split into three parts. The first one is in January, and it has already been done. It was an explanation why [the contract has not been fulfilled]. The other dates are three and six months, he added. The Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation issued a warning notice to France on Jan. 13 after the delivery of the Vladivostok, scheduled to be delivered in late 2014, and the Sevastopol, set to be handed over in 2015, failed to materialize.

France has to make a crucial decision which will have far-reaching consequences. Whether to deliver two Mistral ships to Russia (which were originally earmarked for the Russian Navy) and face the anger of its NATO allies OR to terminate the Mistral deal, paying a heavy price and further deteriorating its economy. Currently, the biggest problem that France faces is in the form of European dimension - that is the embargo to Russia. France has received an order for two Mistral class amphibious assault ships; it was paid for the first, which now is ready for delivery and already received $1.3 billion. The second warship in under construction while there has been discussions for the possible order of a third one.

Russia’s Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg has signed a contract on the overhaul of two warships for the Algerian navy, the company’s press service said on Thursday. The Russian shipbuilder will modernize a Nanuchka II class corvette and a Koni II class frigate, which have been in service with the Algerian navy since the 1980s. “The contract has been signed in the framework of an agreement between [Russian state-run arms exporter] Rosoboronexport and the Algerian Defense Ministry,” the company said in a statement.

Russia has offered to help India build air-independent (closed cycle) propulsion systems for installation in Amur 1650 class submarines and also to equip future possible joint Indian-Russian built vessels, according to  Viktor Komardin, the deputy head of Rosoboronexport's delegation at the recent Defexpo Indian defense show. The Amur 1650 is one of several contenders, including the Scorpene (France), Type 214 (Germany) and S-80 (Spain) in a tender for the Indian Navy for six subamrines with a total value of $11.8 billion.

The signature of a contract for two Mistral class helicopter carriers (LHDs), and associated services, between DCNS and the Russian defence export agency Rosoboronexport took place in St. Petersburg on June 17, 2011. STX France will undertake the construction of the ships at its Saint-Nazaire shipyard under a subcontract with DCNS. The Russian shipbuilder OSK will provide part of the hull of both ships. The first ship will be delivered to Russia in 2014 and the second LHD will be delivered in 2015. The vessels will have a length of 199 meters, a displacement of 22,000 tons and a speed in excess of 18 knots. Previously, STX France and DCNS have built three Mistral class LHDs for the French Navy. Mistral and Tonnerre were delivered to the French Navy in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

According to a report from RioNovosti, Russian shipbuilding plant Yantar has asked Russia's state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, for an additional $100m to complete construction of three frigates for the Indian Navy, Russian business daily Kommersant said Dec. 16. (Source: RioNovosti)

The Rosoboronexport Company is in talks with Venezuela on a delivery of five Russian diesel-electric submarines of the Kilo class with missile systems to that country. According to a Rosoboronexport representative, Venezuela already requested a feasibility report on Kilo submarines and displayed interest in a number of other development studies of Russian submarine shipbuilding, displayed at the show, including small submarines of the Malakhit design office. Diesel submarines of the Kilo class, developed by the Rubin central design office and built by the Admiralteiskie Shipyards were supplied for export since 1986. The last big batch of ships of this class – eight submarines – was delivered to the Chinese navy. Source: Itar-Tass