Amphibious assault ship

French amphibious assault ship Dixmude, which serves as a helicopter carrier, is seen through the yawning hatch of a Hellenic Army Chinook after takeoff during a joint Greek-US-French military exercise on the Aegean island of Skyros on Friday. Troops were simulating the operation of recapturing a Greek island from enemy forces.

The construction of Turkey's first indigenously-built "multipurpose amphibious assault ship -- the TCG Anadolu", which can be configured as a light aircraft carrier, in Istanbul is gathering pace, according to the head of a Turkish business body.

The Turkish government is interested in buying the soon-to-be-decommissioned UK helicopter carrier HMS Ocean if it is not sold to Brazil.

In a reply to a parliamentary question, the UK defense ministry confirmed that Turkey sent an expression of interest to UK about the potential sale of HMS Ocean.

A ceremony was held at Sedef Shipyard, at Tuzla, on Istanbul's Asian side, a couple of days ago. It was the first step for building Turkey's first aircraft carrier. In this giant shipyard, the new multipurpose amphibious assault ship called the TGC Anadolu is to be built.

Turkey has launched the building phase of its amphibious landing platform dock (LPD) warship for the Turkish Naval Forces with a ceremony on April 30. 

Istanbul-based shipbuilder Sedef has been contracted by the Undersecretary for Defense Industries (SSM) to build the warship for the Turkish Naval Forces. 

Russia will start construction of its own Mistral-class amphibious assault ships in 2020, a Defense Ministry source has told a Russian news website.

It will take three to four years for Russia to build such a vessel after Moscow renounced a EUR 1.2 B deal with France to buy two ships, Lenta.ru quotes the source as saying.

The two Mistral warships France was to deliver to Russia are still subject to discussion, French President Francois Hollande has said.

Hollande told Canal+ TV station on Sunday that the Paris is "busy negotiating a solution to the crisis," according to DefenseNews.

Two Mistral assault ships are to be sold to Russia, France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced.

The decision comes amid tensions between Moscow and the West over the Ukraine crisis.

Fabius wrote on Twitter that the contracts were agreed in 2011 and were to be executed as they would create many jobs in his country, as the BBC reported.