Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) and France's shipbuilder DCNS on Monday signed an agreement to form a consortium, in a move that may bring a pending helicopter carrier deal closer to completion, the USC president said.

The consortium is the most likely winner of a Russian tender to build two Mistral-class helicopter carriers as part of a Russian-French deal, analysts say.

Russia and France are currently in talks on a 2+2 scheme, whereby Russia will buy one or two French-built Mistrals and build another two at home. The contract is expected to be inked before the end of the year.

"We have signed a long-term agreement; it includes a transfer of technologies," Roman Trotsenko told journalists in St. Petersburg.

Trotsenko said the consortium is interested in building supply ships and icebreakers for the Arctic, but DCNS Chairman Patrick Boissier added that it is also ready to compete in all military tenders.

ST. PETERSBURG, November 1 (RIA Novosti)