Source:
THE TIMES OF INDIA – Made-for-India MiG-29 test flight next week
Made-for-India MiG-29 test flight next week
Rajat Pandit
[ 18 Jan, 2007 2316hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ] NEW DELHI: Just before President Vladimir Putin comes visiting India next week, Russia plans to conduct the “inaugural flight” of the aircraft carrier-borne MiG-29 fighter jets being produced for India.
Through the sonic boom generated by the MiG-29, Russia intends to send a strong message that it’s keen to retain the edge over other countries in supplying military hardware and software to India despite deep inroads being made by Israel, France and now increasingly, the US.
India, after all, intends to spend a whopping $30 billion on weapon imports during the 11th Plan (2007-2012) period. By notching up defence deals worth over $20 billion between 1998 and 2005, India has already emerged as the largest arms importer in the developing world.
As part of the $1.6 billion (Rs 6,900 crore) deal signed with Russia in January 2004, the Indian Navy will get 16 MiG-29s along with the 44,570-tonne Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, now rechristened INS Vikramaditya. While 12 of these fighters will be the single-seat ‘K’ variants, the other four will be twin-seater ‘KUB’ trainer versions.
“The first test flight of MiG-29KUB is likely to take place on January 22, to be followed by the MiG-29K version later,” said a senior officer. Armed with eight types of air-to-air missiles, the MiG-29Ks on board INS Vikramaditya will make the Navy capable of striking deep into enemy territory from the high seas.
“The MiG-29Ks will also be capable of mid-air refuelling from IL-78 tankers, as well as other MiG-29Ks, under ‘buddy-tanking’. While INS Vikramaditya will join us towards end-2008 after a full refit, the MiG-29 deliveries will begin this year,” he said.
While Putin will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade, Russian deputy prime minister and defence minister Sergei Borisovich Ivanov will land in India a few days earlier for the sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation with his Indian counterpart A K Antony.
As reported earlier by TOI, Indsia and Russia are likely to come to an agreement on joint ventures for the multi-role transport aircraft, as well as the fifth-generation stealth fighter, during the high-level visits.
Sign In
