The defense Ministers of Russia and Egypt, Sergei Shoigu and Sedki Sobhi agreed in Moscow the training of Egyptian pilots for Russian attack helicopters Ka-52K, which must be equipped with amphibious assault ships (UDC) type “Mistral”, the newspaper “Izvestia”, citing a source in military-diplomatic circles.
“The Ministers agreed on specific activities for the training of Egyptian pilots for naval helicopters Ka-52K, which are necessary to equip UDC type “Mistral”, purchased by the Cairo this year from France. Now the Egyptians have to decide what the elements of combat training especially required their pilots, and to formulate requirements”, — explained the edition a source familiar with the negotiations.
Something tells me that this is not the end of the sentimental Russian-French “Saga of the “Mistral”.
First, it’s still a very decent modern ships. And Russia in all seriousness planned to take them on Board his fleet. Today, for example, they would be simply irreplaceable in transporting troops and arms to Syria.
Secondly, Russia has already not bad mastered these ships. Trained entire crews are able to use them effectively. Moreover, for the Russian “Mistral” was specially developed a significant part of the ship’s equipment, amphibious craft units and, most importantly, they were optimized for the deployment of modern naval combat helicopters Ka-52K. All this is so serious and costly practices that they do not just wave away.
On the other hand, such regional powers as Egypt, with quite moderate naval ambitions, such large ships – that the hare stoplight or a cow saddle. Stories about their extreme necessity for defense of the Suez canal from a military point of view, quite ridiculous, since this waterway where it is more convenient and cheaper to protect just from the shore.
Meanwhile, the content of these monsters will cost Egypt a very great deal of money. And although it now actually pay the Arabian sheikhs, Cairo certainly there are problems much more pressing than to pay the maintenance is almost unnecessary amphibious fleet.
In General, one gets the impression that the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who recently developed a very trusting relationship with Vladimir Putin, considered his request for a solution to the issue of “Mistral” on a temporary basis. The implementation of which we seem to see today.
And that may be only an interim step in the process of returning these ships are the legitimate original owner of the Russian Navy. In this sense, joint training of Egyptian and Russian pilots on Board of “Mistral”, without which it can not do, will be the next step to their return.
As for the so-called “end-user certificate”, which prohibits the transfer of combat units to a third country, then all the will of France. Which the next President, which will, hopefully, marine Le Pen or Nicolas Sarkozy, simply override the corresponding limit for its distinguished Russian ally. And it will be solely right.
