Two amphibious assault ships bought for the Russian Navy from France in a 1.2 billion euro deal will not be able to operate in temperatures below seven degrees centigrade, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin admitted…in critical comments about the contract.
“It’s very odd that ships for offloading a landing force, floating in our latitudes won’t work in temperatures below seven degrees,” said Rogozin, who has special responsibilities for the defense industry, in a meeting of the Academy of Military Science…”Maybe they thought we’re going to undertake special operations in Africa but I doubt that’s going to happen,” he added.
Russia signed the 1.2 billion euro deal in June 2011 for two of the Mistral ships, which will carry helicopters to support landings by marines. The first of the ships is due for delivery in 2014…
The first Mistral is due to be deployed in Russia’s Pacific Fleet, based in the port of Vladivostok, which is ice-free all year round but still experiences months of severe winter cold. The second is due to be deployed with the Northern Fleet, which also has ice-free bases, due to the Gulf Stream, but also experience very cold temperatures for several months a year.
I love beancounters who only think about the price of a deal – ignoring completely all other qualities which determine real value.
Like, how’s the quality of roads in your neck of the prairie? Most municipalities in the Anglophone world have been reducing the specification of road construction so any fly-by-night cousin of some state politician can afford to put in a low bid. And we get crap roads that start to disintegrate within three years.
Sounds like the same genes carry over into ship-building in France.
Eideard 
Regarding the roads ~ in college, one of my friends was from an east Asia country (I will keep it confidential). His father had the national contracts to build the roads, and the contracts for the national trucking. His trucks tore up the roads that his company fixed, which were torn up, etc, etc, etc
I would say this mentality goes far beyond governments. One does not have to look far to see people routinely choosing “cheap” goods and services over quality despite the reality it costs more in the long term.
And of course I would argue this is something ingrained by the capitalist mentality. For producers and service providers it ensures a constant stream of business. While at the same time helping them keep their costs low- as employees who can meet their needs more cheaply can be paid less. And tying the producer and consumer together for a long, long time to come…
I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that we (UK) have bought fighter jets that can’t work on aircraft carriers although they’re supposed to. We are operating on the basis that if it all kicks off we are going to have to rely on the States viewing us as a springboard to Eurasia so what’s the point of spending cash on hardware anyway