Navy’s new MiG 29 K fighters arrive

Sources said that the knocked down fighters arrived in container form onboard the cargo aircraft. However,it may take several weeks before the fighters take to Indian skies,as they would first be assembled and test flown by a Russian technical team.

The fighters,two single-seater aircraft and two twin-seater trainers,will be based at Goa and will operate from the shore till the Gorshkov aircraft carrier is delivered by late 2012. India has ordered 16 of the advanced carrier borne aircraft from Russia.

With the aircraft completing all tests,including the crucial carrier deck landing exercise as well as weapons trials,the Indian Navy has also decided to place a follow-on order for the fighters. Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said that the follow-on order could be placed in the current financial year.

As reported by this newspaper,the Navy has already been given the go ahead to procure 29 additional fighters over the next few years to raise additional fighter squadrons. The Navy eventually wants to have a total of close to 50 fighters to operate from two aircraft carriers.

Senior Navy officials said that while the DRDO has promised to develop the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) by 2013,the Navy is keeping its options open about operating the MiG 29 K fighter from the Vikraant class indigenous aircraft carrier that is being built in Kochi. While the original plan was to equip the Vikraant aircraft carrier with the naval LCA,expected delays in the project would force the Navy to deploy MiG 29 K fighters onboard the warship.

The Navy Chief said that the second aircraft carrier that is being planned after the Vikraant would be even more capable,indicating that it would be larger and be able to operate longer ranged or heavier fighters. The Navy has incidentally issued global Request for Information (RFI) for a new class of carrier borne fighter aircraft.