MOSCOW, August 6. /TASS/. The Russian Navy expects to receive the first Kamov Ka-52K (Katran) ship-borne helicopters in 2017-2018, a high-placed source in the Navy’s Main Headquarters told TASS on Thursday.

The helicopters were earlier intended to be based on two Mistral helicopter carriers, which France has refused to deliver to Russia over Moscow's stance on developments in neighboring Ukraine.

"I believe the naval aviation will get these helicopters by 2017-2018. The helicopter component on Russian warships will be quite serious. The number of helicopters has yet to be determined but a final decision has not yet been made. But there is the understanding that they will be received and operated and we’ll see what to do further," the source said.

The Russian Defense Minsitry also plans to purchase Sukhoi Su-30 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) fighter jets for naval aviation, the source said, without specifying their numbrer. The source added that there "will be a lot of such aircraft."

The Ka-52K is the deck-based version of the Ka-52 Alligator combat helicopter. Initially, this type of helicopters was developed for Mistral helicopter carriers ordered in France in 2011.

However, France froze the delivery of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to Russia in 2014 over Moscow’s stance on developments in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Francois Hollande agreed on Wednesday on terminating the contract on the delivery of two Mistrals to Russia.

Russian Helicopters rotocraft manufacturer and Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier said Ka-52K helicopters would be based on other ships of the Russian Navy instead of Mistrals. Russian Helicopters has also said the company expects deck-based Alligator helicopters to enjoy demand on international arms markets.