Canada has expressed a "strong interest" for the purchase of two vessels of the Manufacturer's DCNS Mistral class, read The Tribune Friday.
DCNS, controlled at 75% state and 25% by Thales, "is currently exploring the shipyards, particularly in Quebec, for industry associations to contract, after the green light Canadian government," wrote the daily.
He said the two ships would be manufactured locally and the group would seek a signature in 2012.
A spokesman declined to DCNS comment.
Good news for the French. Not so long ago the Canadians were giving thought to purchase of a San Antonio class LPD. Guess that's not going to work out. In ten years, at least three important navies could be operating Mistrals. Obviously there are a couple of interesting stories here, the first being the persistence of interest in middle navies for big amphibs, and the second being the ongoing problems created by difficulties in the LPD-17 construction process.
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