India

MiG-29K Fighter Jet Makes Maiden Night Landing On INS Vikrant

An Indian Navy MiG-29K fighter jet on Wednesday landed on the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for the first time at night, an important step towards the warship becoming fully operational along with its air wing by the year-end, navy officials said on Thursday.

The aircraft carrier is currently sailing in the Arabian Sea. It was commissioned into the navy last September, marking a pivotal point in the country’s quest for self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector.

“The challenging night landing trial demonstrates the resolve, skill and professionalism of the Vikrant crew and naval pilots,” navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said. The development came three months after a MiG-29K and a prototype of the naval version of the locally made light combat aircraft (LCA) landed and took off from the aircraft carrier for the first time during day in February.

The aircraft carrier is presently undergoing air certification and flight integration trials with rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft to achieve combat-ready state at the earliest, Madhwal added.

The ongoing flight trials on board INS Vikrant involve the Russian-origin MiG-29K fighter jets that use the ski-jump to take-off, and are recovered by arrestor wires or what is known as STOBAR (short take-off but arrested recovery) in navy parlance.

Twelve MiG-29Ks are likely to be deployed on Vikrant, and the carrier will operate a new deck-based fighter that the navy is looking to buy as an interim measure to meet its requirements before the indigenous twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF) is ready in a few years. The first prototype of TEDBF could make its maiden flight by 2026 and be ready for production by 2031, the officials said.

Bharat Express English

Recent Posts

PM Modi’s Vision Powers Up Uttar Pradesh: Adani To Build 1600 MW Plant In Mirzapur

Mirzapur in UP is set to become a major energy hub with the launch of…

2 hours ago

Ayushman Bharat Transformed India’s Healthcare: JP Nadda

Marking 11 years of the PM Modi government, JP Nadda hailed Ayushman Bharat for driving…

2 hours ago

Modi Govt Marks 11-Year Legacy With Celebratory Song Released By BJP

To commemorate 11 years of the Modi-led government, the BJP unveiled a celebratory song highlighting…

3 hours ago

Sonam Raghuvanshi Surrenders In Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder Case; Police Confirm Contract Killing Plot

Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of slain businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, surrendered in Ghazipur under pressure, as confirmed…

4 hours ago

Amit Shah Hails 11 Years Of Modi Government As Era Of Transformation

Marking 11 years of governance, Amit Shah underlined the Modi government's transformational reforms in security…

5 hours ago

PM Modi Highlights 11 Years Of Seva, Governance, & Inclusive Transformation

PM Modi marked 11 years of NDA rule by highlighting achievements in governance, economic growth,…

5 hours ago