In a major success for made-in-India weapon systems, Indian Navy on Monday carried out the maiden landing of homegrown LCA(Navy) and MiG29K jets onboard the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

The exercise also demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, construct and operate Indigenous Aircraft Carrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft.

Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral S N Ghormade termed it as a big achievement for ‘Make in India’ in the defence sector, saying that it will boost indigenisation.

“Indigenously developed fighter aircraft LCA Navy and the MiG-29K fighter aircraft today made their first landings on the country’s first made-in-India aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in the Arabian Sea. This is a big achievement for the Make in India in the defence sector and will boost indigenisation,” said Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral S N Ghormade.

The commissioning of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier is a momentous occasion during the ‘Amritkaal’ of India’s 75 years of independence and signifies the country’s confidence and prowess stated a government release.
The indigenous aircraft carrier is proof of the country’s technical acumen and engineering skills. This demonstration of India’s self-sufficiency to produce an aircraft carrier warship will reinforce the country’s defence indigenisation programmes and the ‘Make in India’ campaign, the statement added.

The indigenous aircraft carrier is proof of the country’s technical acumen and engineering skills. This demonstration of India’s self-sufficiency to produce an aircraft carrier warship will reinforce the country’s defence indigenisation programmes and the ‘Make in India’ campaign, the statement added.

Built at a cost of around Rs 20,000 crore, the INS Vikrant successfully completed its fourth and final phase of sea trials last month. With the construction of ‘Vikrant’, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier.

The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers.
INS Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.

According to DRDO, Indian Navy’s Commodore Shivnath Dahiya, (IN) performed the flight test carrying out successful arrested landing, hot refuelling and launching from the Ski jump of the LCA Navy from the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant