Egypt To Get Mistral Helicopter Carriers By September

Egypt will receive the French-made Mistral-class helicopter carriers in June-September 2016, the French ambassador in Cairo said Sunday.

"The delivery of Mistrals will take place between June and September this year, " Sputnik reported quoting Andre Parant as saying during a press conference in the Egyptian capital.

Cairo and Paris signed a contract in October 2015 for the purchase of two helicopter carriers originally built for Russia under a $1.3 billion deal. Moscow terminated the deal in August 2015.

The ships are designed to carry 16 Ka-27/29 Helix anti submarine/assault and Ka-52 Hokum B strike helicopters.