NEW DELHI: For the first time, the MiG-29K fighter aircraft undertook a night landing on indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, a feat described by the Indian Navy as a “historic milestone”.
The night landing took place on Wednesday night when the ship was sailing in the Arabian Sea.
The “challenging” night landing trial demonstrated the resolve, skill, and professionalism of the crew of the INS Vikrant and the pilots, the Navy said.
The aircraft carrier is presently undergoing “air certification and flight integration trials” with rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft for achieving a “combat ready” state at the earliest. “In continuation with the impetus on the aviation trials, the Navy has achieved another historic milestone by undertaking the maiden night landing of MiG-29K,” the Navy said.
Congratulating the Indian Navy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “This remarkable achievement is a testimony to the skills, perseverance, and professionalism of the Vikrant crew and Naval pilots.”
In February, Russian-origin MiG-29K and a prototype of the Naval variant of the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas jets had conducted day landings on the aircraft carrier.
Built at a cost of around Rs 23,000 crore, INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, has a sophisticated air defense network and anti-ship missile systems and has the capacity to hold 30 fighter jets and helicopters.
It has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles. The ship is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and it has a height of 59 metres.