Navy to Complete Induction of MiG-29Ks by Mid-2012

[angeldemon_007]

Indian Navy's `Black Panthers', a squadron of MiG-29K aircraft, will complete induction of the Russia-made fighter jets by mid-2012, officials said today.

The delivery of first batch of 16 aircraft is likely to be completed this month, Commander B Hota, Commander-in- Chief of the squadron, told PTI.

"The second lot of 29 aircraft will arrive at a later date," he added.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a press conference organised to announce golden jubilee celebrations of Naval base `INS Hansa', located at Vasco, about 40km from here, Hota said Black Panthers would be renamed Squadron 303.

MiG-29Ks based at INS Hansa are attached to aircraft carrier `INS Vikramaditya', which will be commissioned in the Navy shortly.

MiG-29K is one of the most versatile and formidable carrier-borne fighter aircraft in the world. It is designed to destroy aerial targets, enemy's surface and shore targets, Navy officials said.

Commodore Ravneet Singh, Commanding Officer of INS Hansa, said the state-of-the-art simulator for MiG-29K would be ready within a couple of months.

The Naval base is also being equipped with the ski-jump facility and shore-based test facility (SBTF).

Besides India, only American and Russians are going to have SBTF by the middle of next year, Singh said.

The facility will create an atmosphere which is similar to that on an aircraft carrier and would help the pilots in training.

news.outlookindia.com | Navy to Complete Induction of MiG-29Ks by Mid-2012

 

[praful]

Great news !!! will add a solid punch in IN's power.

 

[baker]

hmm only thing pending will be Aircraft carrier

 

[sancho]

hmm only thing pending will be Aircraft carrier

That's the problem, the fighters can train at the moment, but won't be in operational service for a long time, because we need the carrier first. Will take time till the carrier crew and the fighter pilots will be at a level to be deployed into operational service and what's even worse is, that even IAC1 might come, while IN is still in the training stage, although the idea was to have considerable experience before it comes.

 

[fakein]

It's remarkable to see India has made such progress that would enable it to thrust its military influence deep into the India Ocean, the Southeast Asia and finally the Pacific, while China is still carrying out scientific research and training on the revamped Varyag. It seems that India is not only way ahead China but also outpacing it.

 

[baker]

It's remarkable to see India has made such progress that would enable it to thrust its military influence deep into the India Ocean, the Southeast Asia and finally the Pacific, while China is still carrying out scientific research and training on the revamped Varyag. It seems that India is not only way ahead China but also outpacing it.

this topic is nothing to do for compare with chineese..... and we dont have any ambition for flex our muscles beyond indian ocean...

 

[sancho]

It's remarkable to see India has made such progress that would enable it to thrust its military influence deep into the India Ocean, the Southeast Asia and finally the Pacific, while China is still carrying out scientific research and training on the revamped Varyag. It seems that India is not only way ahead China but also outpacing it.

Just shows the different options both countries have! China has to try to get some techs and weapons from other countries and take them as a base for developments. India can get these things from Russia and the western countries directly, or get assistance from them for developing such arms and techs. That's why China has to spend way more time and money, to get the same that we get with our foreign relations.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Personally I don't thiNk it is all bad that these planes will have to wait for an ACC to fly off as the pilots are all carrier qualified be USN and RuN and this delay will allow them to become expert flyers on these new and untested birds before subjecting them to arduous carrier ops. And the SBTF will make them proficient in carrier ops (although there really is no comparison between shore facilities and thereal thing but close enough). I also thought it would be very risky to be inducting brand new and unfamiliar planes and an ACC at the same time and could have lead to catastrophe, although the IN's training regime is world class but real carrier ops are incredibly hard and many Navies have has serious troubles with it in the past.

 

[Avisheik]

Wow thats more than the quantity of mig29 in bd air force. But why only buy one type of fighter plane??

 

[blackops]

Wow thats more than the quantity of mig29 in bd air force. But why only buy one type of fighter plane??

because of a simple reason logistic infrastructure traing and maintaince problems

 

[jha]

Wow thats more than the quantity of mig29 in bd air force. But why only buy one type of fighter plane??

These are for first two Carriers.. For Next Bigger Carriers RFI has already been sent to Lockheed,Boeing,Dassault etc..
F-35,F/A-18 and Rafale will compete..

 

[Zabaniyah]

Wow thats more than the quantity of mig29 in bd air force. But why only buy one type of fighter plane??

India's current carriers are relatively small. Maintaining too many types of aircraft would be a cumbersome job. Also, MiG-29K is a lighter aircraft compared to SU-33/F-14 or something.

 

[blackops]

India's current carriers are relatively small. Maintaining too many types of aircraft would be a cumbersome job. Also, MiG-29K is a lighter aircraft compared to SU-33/F-14 or something.

it wont be f14 but f18 f14 is dead now my friend

 

[Zabaniyah]

it wont be f14 but f18 f14 is dead now my friend

I know, I meant to say that both the F-14 and SU-33 are a heavier class of carrier-based fighters. They can be more maintenance intensive compared to lighter ones. The F-14 was retired because taking care of it on a carrier was a tough job.

But still you'd have to admit the Tomcat was a gem of a plane

 

[Water Car Engineer]

India's current carriers are relatively small. Maintaining too many types of aircraft would be a cumbersome job. Also, MiG-29K is a lighter aircraft compared to SU-33/F-14 or something.

You mean India's current carrier...? It only has one right now.


INS Vikramaditya - is 45,000 tons.
IAC-1 - 40,000
IAC- 65,000 tons.

IAC-1 and Vikram

is around the weight of Charles de Gaulle. So I don't think they are that small.