Posted on 01/26/2011 9:08:55 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
France on Tuesday inked a lucrative agreement to sell four Mistral warships to Moscow, with two to be built in Russia, in a move bitterly opposed by ex-Soviet states in the Baltics.
The deal for the amphibious assault ships will be the first sale to Russia of such technology by a NATO country.
France's NATO allies -- in particular Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia -- have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.
Leaked diplomatic cables showed that US Defence Secretary Robert Gates also raised Washington's concerns while on a visit to Paris last year
(Excerpt) Read more at defencetalk.com ...
French ships? Do they float; and if so do they automatically sink when confronted? I’m not joking, I really want to know man!
These are supposed to be the best.Based on displacement tonnage, Mistral and Tonnerre are the largest ships in the French Navy after the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, for roughly the same height above water. The problem is will the Russians end up with classified NATO technology.
Thats probably why they are doing the deal. Russians remind me of the Chinese....
Are there any more stupid/intelligent people in the world than the French? Forever shooting themselves and the rest of the West in the foot.
Actually, Putin has said that he is actively looking for Western technology. 85 percent of the Russiann army technologies are still stuck in the old analog system.
There are other European nations who want to deal with the Russians.
His guys are actively stealing as we speak....
Exactly. But one problem is where are they going to find the spare parts.
That's why two ships will be built in Russia. This will take care of the parts that the shipbuilder manufactures. COTS parts are another story, nobody in the world is guaranteed a supply of those forever.
Your correct
Was there ever any doubt about that?
Good Lord, I just thought of something horrible! What if by the time our young democrats come of age there are no more state secrets to sell. What will ever become of them?
Let me be the first to propose a radical new legislative initiative. We shall call it the 'Save Some National Secrets to Sell for the Future Act'. After all, it's for the children!
Why arm your enemy? What other European power can provide the same tech? Are they aligning with Russia against China? Whose watching Germany?
Germany
I love your posts but not your answer. Are the French getting scared of Germany again?
No. Actually both nations(Franco-German Friendship) are cooperating on the financial end of the EU.France and Germany are among the most enthusiastic proponents of the further integration of the EU. They are sometimes described as the “twin engine” or “core countries” pushing for moves.In military circles,they have a Franco-German brigade.There is a special relationship between Russia and Germany that Germany is Russia’s closest ally inside Europe.
Are you German?
I should say German-national.
Theyse aint!
Kinda like a nuclear armed Iran. Good for one shot but what about support for a sustained confrontation?
I am assuming you are referring to the Mideast.I think that it be too long of a mideast war. There will be millions of people dead or dying on both sides within a space of an hour.The mideast would be not habitable for quite a while.
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