03.02.2010
India intends to purchase one more parcel of 29 Russian deck-based fighters MiG-29K for $1.2 bln, informs Hindustan Times citing Indian Navy's official.
Indian Navy will commission first parcel of
MiG-29K this month. An official ceremony will be held at naval airbase Hansa in Goa on Feb 19, reports the source.
16
MiG-29K fighters are supposed to be based on aircraft carrier
Vikramaditya (former
Admiral Gorshkov) which is currently under modernization at
Sevmash shipyard at Severodvinsk; the carrier is planned to be commissioned in Indian Navy in 2012-2013. Until that time the deck-based fighters will be based at naval airbase Hansa. They are jointed into flying squadron named
Black Panthers.
Series of
MiG-29K was purchased by India under signed in March 2004 package procurement of upgraded heavy aircraft carrying cruiser
Admiral Gorshkov with displacement of 45,000 tons. Transaction value was $1.5 bln. It was supposed to spend $526 mln for buying
MiGs.
Early Dec 2009
MiG-29K fighters were delivered to airbase Hansa. "Presently, Russian experts and pilots are at the base assembling the aircrafts and training Indian pilots", said Indian Navy's official.
Source: , photo: MiG-29K (testpilot.ru)
