MIG-29K Night Landing Trials Held Onboard INS Vikrant

INS Vikrant, the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the most complex warship built in India by Cochin Shipyard Ltd, has undergone extensive sea trials since her maiden sailing on 4 August 2021. Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 2 September 2022 in the presence of the Prime Minister of India, the Carrier is a big boost to the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision of the Government of India.

The Carrier is presently undergoing Air Certification and Flight Integration Trials with Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft for achieving ‘Combat ready’ state at the earliest. As part of the trials, maiden day landing of MiG-29K and the indigenous LCA (Navy) was achieved on 6 February 2023. Since then, day and night landing trials of all helicopters in the naval inventory have been progressed. In continuance with the impetus on the aviation trials, the Navy has achieved another historic milestone by undertaking maiden night landing of MiG-29K on 24 May 2023.

The Navy in a statement said, challenging accomplishment within three months of maiden day landing demonstrates the resolve, skill and professionalism of the Indian Navy including the Vikrant crew and the Naval Pilots.