Russians want big honking French ships

No Joint Support Ship-type mess (see below) for them:

France has agreed to sell Russia an advanced amphibious warship and is considering a Russian request for three more, French defense officials said Monday. It would be the first major arms deal between Russia and a NATO member.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy approved the sale of one Mistral assault ship after months of discussions, but then Russian naval officials submitted a request for three more, said Jacques de Lajugie, head of international development at the French arms agency DGA.

"We are in the process of examining" this new request, Mr. de Lajugie said at a news conference, predicting a decision in the coming weeks. He said the new request came not at the "political level" but from the general staff of the Russian Navy.

Among outstanding questions in the deal are where the Mistral would be built, de Lajugie said. No details about price were released.

Possessing a Mistral, which can carry 16 helicopters, would significantly increase the Russian military's capability to mount quick offensives. France sent a Mistral, which weighs 23,700 tons and is 980 feet long, to visit St. Petersburg last year in a clear sign of interest in a potential sale...

Meanwhile our JSS project remains stalled since the government (as would a Liberal one) insists on building the vessels here--though at least they may be considering using a foreign design to save costs. Some posts with the grisly details:

More on new Dutch version of Joint Support Ship

Foreign designs for new Navy ships?

What Joint Support Ship anyway? And when?

Update: Missed this at the end of the story--smart Russians:

President Dmitry Medvedev visits France in March. Russia has been looking at similar ships made in Spain and the Netherlands [see here].