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50 million for a functional LPD is a steal. It is not as capable as a LPD 17, nor will it last as long, but it doesn't cost 1.5 billion (actually more) either. It should be noted that the US Navy STILL uses this class of ship and expects to for years to come. If you expect a ship as old as an LPD to be free of maintenance costs, you have never served on a ship. The well deck works, the plant will move it, and it can carry troops, and land helicoptors. The combat systems equipment and C2 equipment was marginal while in use for the US Navy, India would be better off gutting the ship in any case.
As for the contract stipulations, let me put it clearly:
The US does not want India to invade Pakistan (or Burma, or Sri Lanka, or Bangladesh) to sieze territory using a former US ship. Might be bad for US relations with these countries, no? Using the ship to fight terrorists or to DEFEND against another nations attacks (perhaps by conducting an amphibious counter attack) is not generally considered offensive use by the United States (we do it all the time for our defense).
Bottom line, if you don't want any strings attached to your military equipment, build it yourself.
As for Russian gear, you could not pay me enough to serve on ANY of their death traps. Damage control nightmares, designed to kill their users. Keep in mind, the US PRIDES itself on minimizing its own casualties, the Russians had a habit of taking shortcuts to look tough and not giving a crap about the individual, especially a conscript. Russian equipment is tactically (in some cases) impressive, but operationally and for long term use, it is junk. You would have been better off trying to get an Essex class carrier built in WW2 than Gorshkov, a failed design when it was new (a CV with a bow full of missiles? how stupid was that...)
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The SWO
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