If requested by the Indian Ministry of Defense, Russia is ready to deliver the necessary number of naval MiG-29K/KUB fighters for the new Indian aircraft carrier Vishal.
Recently, Indian media reported that Delhi has sent requests to four countries for proposals for the supply of fighter aircraft designed for the new aircraft carrier Vishal, which will serve as a base for more than 50 aircraft.
“Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG and the Indian Ministry of Defense are long-term partners bound by many years of successful cooperation. Of course we are ready to supply fighters for the new aircraft carrier,” said Anastasia Kravchenko, a representative of MiG, as reported by RIA Novosti.
She noted that, according to experts, the best option for the Indian Navy from a strategic and economic point of view would be to not diversify its fleet of carrier-based aircraft.
Currently, the Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya is armed with MiG-29K/KUB fighters. Russia is now completing a contract to supply India with 29 naval fighters. To date, 23 such aircraft have already been delivered to India.
India was the first customer to receive these fighters, even before the Russian Navy. The first contract for 16 aircraft was signed in 2004, and a second for 29 aircraft in 2010.
Naval MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB fighters are multipurpose 4 ++ generation aircraft designed to ensure the air defense of ships, attain dominance in the air, and strike surface and ground targets with precision weapons during the day and night and in all weather conditions.
For the carrier-based MiG-29K/KUB fighters, KRET enterprises have designed and produced several avionics systems, including the SUO-29K weapons control system and the Karat-B-29K integrated onboard control and registration system.
The naval MiG-29K/KUB fighters are also equipped with the modern multifunctional Zhuk-ME radar developed by KRET. These airborne radars have a greater range of viewing angles in azimuth, twice the detection range, less weight, and higher reliability. With a detection range of up to 200 km, Zhuk-ME can simultaneously track up to 10 air targets.