Russia eying French-built military ship

MOSCOW, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Russia is negotiating with France to buy a military ship, a Russian source confirmed Saturday.

Discussions should be completed soon, the source told RIA Novosti.

The Mistral class ship can transport and deploy 16 helicopters, four landing barges, 70 vehicles, including 13 battle tanks, and 450 soldiers. It also has a 69-bed hospital.

The ship could cost $430 million-$580 million.

Gen. Nikolai Makarov, the chief of the Russian General Staff, had said last month Russia is negotiating to buy one of the military ships. Later, it hopes to add three or more that would be jointly built in Russia and France, he said.