01.12.2009
Indian Navy is looking for deck-based fighters for aircraft carriers expected to be commissioned in five-six years, informs Press Trust of India. The Navy has already sent requests for technical information about aircrafts of American Boeing, French Dassault and Russian MiG.
The question is procurement of 16 deck-based fighters with potential increase of order up to 40 aircrafts. It was not mentioned whether purchase of national
Tejas fighters is planned or not. Indian company
Hindustan Aeronautics is currently engaged in development of
Tejas fighter which will be produced in three variants: ground-based, deck-based and operational trainer. Ground-based fighters have already approved for serial production.
In November it was said about Indian Navy's intentions to order additional parcel of 29
MiG-29K/KUB fighters. India had previously placed an order of 16 such aircrafts. The country will get first parcel of the fighters under this contract till the end of 2009.
MiG-29K/KUB will be used on cruiser
Admiral Gorshkov which is being modernized by Russia. The ship will obtain the name of
Vikramaditya while in Indian Navy.
Nowadays India is engaged in construction of domestic aircraft carriers. In total it is planned to build three such ships having displacement of 40,000 tonnes. The first carrier was laid down in Feb 2009 at
Cochin shipyard. New aircraft carrier will become the largest combat ship ever built in India. According to the project, the carrier's length is 260 meters. The ship will be capable to accelerate up to 28 knots.
The first ship is expected to be handed over Indian Navy by the end of 2015.
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