Mistral-class Amphibious Assault Ship

The Mistral-class is a class of three amphibious assault ships, also known as a helicopter carrier, of the French, Egyptian, Iranian and Russian navies. Referred to as "projection and command ships" (bâtiments de projection et de commandement or BPC), a Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying sixteen NH90 or Tiger helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 vehicles including thirteen AMX-56 Leclerc tanks, or a 40-strong Leclerc tank battalion, and 450 soldiers. The ships are equipped with a 69-bed hospital, and are capable of serving as part of a NATO Response Force, or with United Nations or European Union peace-keeping forces.

Three ships of the class are in service in the French Navy: Mistral, Tonnerre, Dixmude and Gascogne. A deal for 2 ships for the Russian Navy was announced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on December 24^th, 2010, and signed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and French Defence Minister Alain Juppé in the presence of Sarkozy on January 25^th, 2011.

Specifications

• Type: Amphibious Assault Ship
• Service Period: 2006-Present (France); 2015- (Russia); 2016- (Egypt)
• Characteristics:
  • Length: 653 feet (199.03 meters)
  • Beam: 105 feet (32 meters)
  • Draught: 21 feet (6.4 meters)
  • Displacement: 18,190 tons (Empty); 23,480 tons (Full Load)
• Capacity: 59 vehicles (including 13 AMX-56 Leclerc tanks) or a 40-strong Leclerc tank battalion
• Crew: 160 (20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 quarter-masters)
• Propulsion:
  • 3 x Wärtsilä diesel-alternators 16 V32 (6.2 MW) + 1 x Wärtsilä Vaasa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3 MW)
  • 2 x Rolls-Royce Mermaid azimuth thrusters (2 × 7 MW)
  • 2 x 5-bladed propellers
• Range: 5,800 nautical miles (10,742 kilometers) at 18 knots (33.34 km/h); 10,700 nautical miles (19,816.4 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
• Speed: 18.8 knots (34.82 km/h)
• Troops: 900 (short duration); 450 (long durations); 150 (serving as operational headquarters)
• Sensor Suite:
  • DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250 navigation radar
  • MRR3D-NG air/surface sentry radar
  • optronic fire control systems x 2
• Armament:
  • 2 x Simbad systems
  • 4 x 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
• Aircraft Carried: 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters
• Aviation Facilities: Six helicopter landing spots

Unit Run

Marine Nationale

• MN Mistral (L9013)
• MN Tonnerre (L9014)
• MN Dixmude (L9015)
• MN Typhon (L9016)

Russian Navy

• RFK Vladivostok
• RFK Sevastopol

Egyptian Navy

• SAA Gamal Abdel Nasser (1010)
• SAA Anwar El Sadat (1020)

Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

• IRIS Ameratat (L01) - under construction
• IRIS Haurvatat (L02) - planned for construction