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Warship

France

Naval Group

Mistral class

A class of amphibious assault and command ships (BPC) able to operate up to 16 NH90 or Tiger helicopters and carry a Leclerc tank battalion, landing craft and hundreds of troops. Originally planned for export to Russia, two hulls were instead sold to Egypt after the 2014 Crimea sanctions blocked delivery.

In service since 2006 · 2 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

21,500

10,691

nmi

160

crew

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

French export-licensed

CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.

Channel: DGA / direct commercial

Fielded & proven

Limited · 2 operators

In service since 2006. Status: active · ~3 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Compatible munitions & weapons

Publicly reported weapons the Mistral class can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.

Simbad-RC point-defense missile launcher

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	2x Simbad short-range surface-to-air missile launchers
Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods.	2x 30 mm Breda-Mauser cannon, 2x 20 mm modele F2 guns, 2x 7.62 mm M134 miniguns, 4x 12.7 mm M2HB machine guns

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	199 m
Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.	32 m
Troop capacity Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.	450

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Diesel-electric with azimuth thrusters

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Naval specifications
Displacement Standard displacement in tonnes, the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.	21,500 t
Full-load displacement Displacement fully loaded with fuel, stores and munitions.	23,542 t
Max speed Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.	19 kn Bottom 1% of warships
Range Cruising range in nautical miles. Nuclear vessels are effectively unlimited (fuel-wise). Higher means more reach without replenishment.	10,691 nmi Top 3% of warships
Complement Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.	160
Aircraft carried Embarked aircraft/helicopters. Higher extends the ship’s sensor and strike reach.	16 Stronger than 74% of warships
Propulsion plant Machinery type, nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.	3x Wartsila 16V32 diesel-alternators (6.2 MW) plus 1x Wartsila 18V200 auxiliary diesel-alternator (3 MW), driving 2x Rolls-Royce Mermaid azimuth thrusters (2 x 7 MW)

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors & avionics specifications
Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.	DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250 navigation radar
Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.	MRR3D-NG air and surface surveillance radar, 2x optronic fire-control systems

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	3 Stronger than 44% of warships
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	2 Top 9% of warships

Specifications compiled from public Naval Group and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Warship

Mistral class Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI)

Naval Group Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI)

View Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frigate (FDI) ↗

Warship

Mistral class Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

Navantia Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

View Alvaro de Bazan class (F100) ↗

Warship

Mistral class Bonifaz class (F110)

Navantia Bonifaz class (F110)

View Bonifaz class (F110) ↗

Frequently asked questions

What is the main armament of the Naval Group Mistral class? +

The Naval Group Mistral class's primary weapon is the 2x Simbad short-range surface-to-air missile launchers.

What is the Naval Group Mistral class used for? +

The Naval Group Mistral class is a warship typically used for isr.

How many countries operate the Naval Group Mistral class? +

The Naval Group Mistral class is operated by 2 countries.

How much does the Naval Group Mistral class cost? +

Naval Group Mistral class: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.

Similar systems

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Queen Elizabeth-class

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China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC)

Type 075

Related coverage

Mistral class in the news

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