KUBINKA /Moscow Region/, September 6. /TASS/. Russia and Egypt are pushing ahead with negotiations over supplies of communication equipment and helicopters for the amphibious helicopter carriers Mistral, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Kozhin has said.

"There’ve been no contracts so far, but the talks are in progress," he said.

Cairo would like to purchase both the helicopters and radio-electronic equipment.

"They are interested in the whole package," Kozhin said.

France signed a contract with Russia for building two Mistral ships in the summer of 2011. In 2014 Paris froze the ships’ delivery over the crisis in Ukraine. Russia and France agreed to sever the contract in August 2015. Under the concluded agreement, Russia had back about 949 million euros as well as the Russian equipment installed on the ships. After that France was free to use the Mistrals at its sole discretion. Shortly after that Egypt agreed to buy both Mistral ships. The contract was signed in Cairo in October.

Moscow and Cairo are currently discussing the supply of communication and control systems for the Mistrals. Nor is there a contract for the Ka-52K helicopters - the deck configuration of the Ka-52 helicopter Alligator, developed especially for the Mistrals.

As an official of the United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation has told TASS, Russian communication and control equipment for the Mistrals is almost ready for delivery to Egypt and may be provided within the tightest deadlines, if a corresponding contract is concluded. The communication and control systems in question will enable the ships to interact with coastal infrastructures, command posts and amphibious assault ships.