Navy

Russia to build first helicopter carrier by 2022

Russia will build its first helicopter carrier by 2022, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Thursday.

"The cycle of building a helicopter carrier is at least four years; yes, somewhere by 2022," the deputy defense minister said.

The Russian Navy currently lacks universal amphibious assault ships. Mistral-class helicopter carriers ordered in France in 2011 were not delivered to Russia.

Russia’s United Ship-Building Corporation earlier said the domestic shipyards could create the analog of Mistral ships.

Late in July last year, Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief Viktor Bursuk said the technical assignment for the universal amphibious assault ship had been prepared.