Reaching a pivotal milestone in India's maritime history, INS Vikrant - the Indian Navy's 262-meter vessel - witnessed the first landing of a fighter jet on its deck since the ship was commissioned last September.
A naval variant of India's homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully landed on the warship as part of ongoing sea trials.
A naval variant of India's homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully landed on the warship as part of ongoing sea trials.
"A historical milestone reached on the way to Aatma Nirbhar Bharat [self-reliant India] by Indian Navy as naval pilots carry out landing of LCA (Navy) on board INS Vikrant," Navy Spokesman Cdr Vivek Madhwal said in a statement on Monday. "It demonstrates India's capability to design, develop, construct and operate an indigenous aircraft carrier with an indigenous fighter aircraft."
Built at a cost of $2.5 billion, the ship has the capacity of 30 aircraft, which includes MiG-29K fighter jets and attack helicopters. It can accommodate a crew of 1,600 service personnel.
MiG-29K jets also serve as the bulk force of India's other warship, INS Vikramaditya.
A naval version of the LCA landed and took off from the carrier in August 2020. This was the first time when a fixed-wing aircraft successfully landed on the 44,500-ton warship.