NEW DELHI: India latest aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, paved way for the first landing of a fixed-wing aircraft on its flight deck.
A naval version of India’s home-grown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas landed successfully on INS Vikrant as part of sea trials. The indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) undertook maiden landing onboard the indigenous INS Vikrant. The historical milestone demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, build and operate Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) with Indigenous Fighter Aircraft (IFA)
“A Historical milestone achieved towards Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) by Indian Navy as naval pilots carry out landing of LCA (Navy) on board the INS Vikrant. It demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, construct and operate an indigenous aircraft carrier with an indigenous fighter aircraft,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.
INS Vikrant- the largest warship to be built in India can carry 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets and helicopters and accommodate a crew of nearly 1,600. The 45,000-tonne INS Vikrant built at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore was commissioned in September last year.