Russia Building "Priboy" Landing Ship To Replace Mistral

Russia is currently developing the Priboy large landing ship, which will become an alternative to Mistral, Sputnik reported.

Designed by St. Petersburg-based Nevskoe Design Bureau, Priboy is to have a displacement of 14,000 tonnes and will have the capacity to carry up to eight helicopters, as well as 50 armored vehicles and 500 marines, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Moscow and Paris officially terminated the $1.3-billion contract for the delivery of the Mistral-class warships in August 2015. Russia’s Rosoboronexport state arms exporter has been fully reimbursed by France for the cost of constructing two Mistral-type warships.

Russia is also planning to build amphibious assault ships for its naval Kamov Ka-52K attack helicopters originally designed for the French-made Mistral-class warships, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told Sputnik Thursday.

Earlier, Kamov Design Bureau's General Designer Sergei Mikheev told RIA Novosti that the helicopters will be put to use regardless of the Mistral suspension.