Forgotten fact: France almost sold 2 helicopter carriers to Russia

What you need to know: In 2010, Russia almost reached a deal to buy two Mistral-class helicopter carriers from France, which would have significantly strengthened its naval capabilities, especially in Arctic operations.

-The ships were designed to carry Kamov Ka-52 helicopters and had heated flight decks for arctic missions. Despite objections from the United States and NATO, the deal was close to completion, but France eventually canceled it in 2015 due to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and aggression in Ukraine.

-The cancellation cost France $444 million, but saved the West from furthering Russia’s naval ambitions, and the ships were eventually sold to Egypt.

The time the French almost sold two helicopter carriers to Russia

Russia’s quest for naval development is limitless. Since the time of Peter the Great, Russian leaders have long envisioned their massive continental state becoming a dominant maritime power. It never really happened.

Even at the height of the Soviet Union, when Moscow’s challenge to the Western maritime democracies was at its height, the most Russia could muster in terms of threatening the capabilities of the US Navy was at advanced submarine force of the Soviet Navy.

In the 2000s, after Vladimir Putin and his nationalist-imperialist siloviki seized power from pro-Western President Boris Yeltsin, they committed the new government to restoring Russian greatness at home and abroad.

One of the ways the Putin government strove to make Russia great again was by rebuilding the military capabilities that were lost or significantly weakened by the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Relatedly, Putin dreamed of improving Russia’s naval capability.

Russia longs to be a major naval power

The Russians have longed to be a major naval power, replete with maritime air capabilities. The best Moscow has achieved has been humiliating itself by clinging to the ailing aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. But Russian leaders have spoken of their desire to build real warships that can carry aircraft, whether full-fledged aircraft carriers or helicopter carriers.

Indeed, in 2010, Moscow was close to finalizing a deal with France that would have seen France sell two advanced Mistral-class helicopter carriers. Five years of back-and-forth took place between France, its allies and Russia, but France inevitably scrapped the deal in 2015 just before it came into effect. They suffered a loss of more than $444 million (€409 million) due to the last-minute decision to scrap the deal.

The specifications

This was a serious upgrade for the surface fleet of the Russian Navy.

According to the design specifications, the Mistral-class helicopter carriers were specifically modified according to Russian requests to carry Kamov Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, and the flight decks were to be heated. Flight deck heating was a key feature for Arctic operations.

The Americans and their allies were upset with France that these helicopter carriers would have increased the limited capabilities of the Russian surface fleet.

The Arctic strategy

In 2008, the Russian government announced its intention to develop and dominate more fully, namely: the Arctic region. A resource-rich area that had been largely unexploited by the other Arctic powers, Moscow sensed an opportunity to take the High North before any of its competitors could. The Mistral-class helicopter carriers, with their heated decks, would have enhanced Russia’s impressive Arctic capabilities.

Even today, the West has dangerously ignored Russian ambitions in the Arctic, the only part of the world where Moscow could pose a threat to the United States and its partners.

The Context

Washington was upset with Paris for trying to make the deal. After all, it was only two years after Russia had invaded Georgia. What ultimately ended the deal was Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the movement of Russian forces into eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Had Moscow not done so, no action by France’s allies would likely have stopped the deal. The Russians would have received two platforms that would certainly have catapulted their naval capabilities and allowed Russian naval engineers to replicate those advanced French systems.

Oh, and having advanced helicopter carriers would likely have helped Moscow prioritize the development of new fifth-generation warplanes capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), like the American-built F-35 Lightning II. The Japanese have shown the world that a helicopter carrier can easily become an aircraft carrier if the warplanes it launches are VTOL.

Right now, the only fifth-generation aircraft Russia has is the Sukhoi-built Su-57. It has no VTOL capabilities. But since the war in Ukraine began, Russia has been investigating the creation of a fifth-generation aircraft capable of VTOL. If Russia had received these helicopter carriers, they could have accelerated the research and development of VTOL warplanes.

It’s probably a good thing Russia didn’t get these ships.

The money was too good

Turkey, the other major power in the Black Sea region, was quite apolectic about the possible sale, as it would have greatly altered the balance of power in the area. Interestingly, the Russians planned to name one of the two ships Sevastopol, after the Russian naval base in the Black Sea.

France was upset that they had to cancel the contract. Although, it was not a total financial loss for France. One of the ships was completed when the deal fell through in 2015. Another was nearing completion. The French sold both ships to Egypt. The Mistral mishap shows how precarious international relations can be with arms sales. Of course, France does not want to empower Russia like Turkey or the United States do. But money is too good sometimes, even at the expense of trust among your allies.

About the author

Brandon J. Weichert, national security analyst at National Interest, is a former congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who contributes to The Washington Times, Asia Times and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is out October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

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