MiG-29s for Admiral Gorshkov to start arriving this year

MiG-29s for Admiral Gorshkov to start arriving this year

Panaji, April 12, 2005 (UNI)

The state-of-the-art MiG-29 fighters, for accomodation aboard the retrofitted aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, will start arriving by the end of this year.

”Staff is currently undergoing training on the aircraft, which will operate from the Goa Naval Base until the carrier arrives,” Western Naval Command’s Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh today told a group of visiting mediapersons at INS Hansa here on the sidelines of the ongoing 25-day marathon naval exercises off the Goa coast.

Each MiG-29 costs US dollars 32 million.

Admiral Gorshkov, which has the capacity to accommodate 32 aircraft, would be based at the new state-of-the-art ‘Sea Bird’ Naval Base coming up at Karwar in north Karnataka, he said.

Apart from the MiGs, the carrier will accommodate Sea Harriers and Light Combat Aircraft. The Navy would receive a further boost after induction of the state-of-the-art indigenous Air Defence Ship whose construction has begun at the Kochi shipyard, Vice Admiral Singh said.

The strategically-located Karwar Naval Base, with 6000-ft runway as against 11,000 ft in Goa, is aimed at easing congestion at the Mumbai Naval Base and can accommodate 3000 sailors and 300 officers and scores of civilians.

the above news article from defenceindia. If its alreqady been posted, please do delete or merge.

BTW, i hope the early arrival of the MiG-29Ks will also help the IAF to judge better the new series of MiG-29 and help in selecting a/c for the 125 a/c requirement.