LCA & MiG-29K fighters begin flight trials from aircraft carrier INS Vikrant

NEW DELHI: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant took a major step towards becoming fully operational when two fighters, the home-grown light combat aircraft (LCA) as well as the Russian-origin MiG-29K, landed on its sprawling deck for the first time on Monday.

With the naval LCA prototype landing first on the 45,000-tonne INS Vikrant, which was commissioned in September last year, the Navy said it was a “historic milestone” demonstrating the country’s capability to “design, develop, construct and operate an indigenous aircraft carrier with an indigenous fighter aircraft”.

INS Vikrant is the first indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the most complex warship ever built by our country. It is a matter of pride that the ship has been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited. The ship had sailed for maiden Sea Trials on 04 Aug 21. 

Since then, she has undergone sea sorties for trials of Main Propulsion, Power Generation Equipment, Fire Fighting systems, Aviation Facility Complex equipment etc. The Carrier was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 02 Sep 22, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi was the Chief Guest.

Historical milestone achieved towards #AatmaNirbharBharat by #IndianNavy as Naval Pilots carry out landing of LCA(Navy) on @IN_R11Vikrant. Demonstrates #India’s capability to design, develop, construct & operate #IndigenousAircraftCarrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft. pic.twitter.com/3HuwuGrZtx

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) February 6, 2023

The construction of the Carrier is a big boost to the ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ vision of the Government of India. The Carrier has been undertaking extensive Air Operations with Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft since 13 Dec 22 towards Air Certification and Flight Integration Trials for achieving the ultimate aim of being ‘Combat Ready’. As part of the aviation trials, landing of LCA (Navy) and MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant was carried out on 06 Feb 23 by Indian Naval Test Pilots.

Historical milestone achieved towards #AatmaNirbharBharat by #IndianNavy as Naval Pilots carry out landing of LCA(Navy) on @IN_R11Vikrant. Demonstrates #India’s capability to design, develop, construct & operate #IndigenousAircraftCarrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft. pic.twitter.com/3HuwuGrZtx

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) February 6, 2023

The landing of LCA(Navy) on deck has demonstrated ‘AatmaNirbharta’ in India’s capability to design, develop, construct and operate indigenous Aircraft Carrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft. It is indeed a landmark achievement being the first time that trials of a prototype aircraft – indigenously designed & produced by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) & Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been successfully undertaken on an indigenous Aircraft Carrier. Further, the landing of MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant is also a significant achievement as it marks the successful integration of the aircraft with the indigenous carrier as well as further enhances the Combat Readiness of the Navy.