ejaz007
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INS Vikramaditya: India’s New Carrier
Latest Update:
Feb 7/14: Indian landing. A MIG-29KUB fighter lands on Vikramaditya. That has happened before, but it’s the 1st time with an Indian naval officer at the controls. India’s active Harrier force has relied on Sea Harrier vertical-landing jets for decades, which makes this landing a milestone for the Navy as a whole, as well as for the ship.
While the 303 Sqn. Black Panthers were commissioned in 2013, the ship’s official commissioning will take another 3-4 months. There’s still work to be done before they’re fully ready, though reports of troubles on the ship’s journeys appear to be exaggerated. The complaints amount to postponing refueling with INS Deepak in rough seas off of Portugal, and a reported boiler breakdown. The first complaint is trivial, but the boiler issue could be a problem, given past issues with that machinery. Even India’s Navy won’t know until debriefings are done and the report is in.
As the local beachgoers already know, a team of Russian specialists have arrived on board, and will stay in India for a year as technical backup. Itar-Tass, “First Indian-piloted MiG safely lands on Vikramaditya aircraft carrier” | RIA Novosti, “First Indian MiG-29 Fighter Jet Lands on Vikramaditya” | Hindustan Times, “Choppy first ride home for INS Vikramaditya”.
INS Vikramaditya: India’s New Carrier
Latest Update:
Feb 7/14: Indian landing. A MIG-29KUB fighter lands on Vikramaditya. That has happened before, but it’s the 1st time with an Indian naval officer at the controls. India’s active Harrier force has relied on Sea Harrier vertical-landing jets for decades, which makes this landing a milestone for the Navy as a whole, as well as for the ship.
While the 303 Sqn. Black Panthers were commissioned in 2013, the ship’s official commissioning will take another 3-4 months. There’s still work to be done before they’re fully ready, though reports of troubles on the ship’s journeys appear to be exaggerated. The complaints amount to postponing refueling with INS Deepak in rough seas off of Portugal, and a reported boiler breakdown. The first complaint is trivial, but the boiler issue could be a problem, given past issues with that machinery. Even India’s Navy won’t know until debriefings are done and the report is in.
As the local beachgoers already know, a team of Russian specialists have arrived on board, and will stay in India for a year as technical backup. Itar-Tass, “First Indian-piloted MiG safely lands on Vikramaditya aircraft carrier” | RIA Novosti, “First Indian MiG-29 Fighter Jet Lands on Vikramaditya” | Hindustan Times, “Choppy first ride home for INS Vikramaditya”.
INS Vikramaditya: India’s New Carrier