Earlier this year, when Russia deployed its sole aircraft carrier the Kuznetsov off the coast of Syria, a newly-developed fighter jet onboard the ship was a cause of concern for the western powers operating in that region.
MiG-29K, the jet; a brand new navalised variant of the most successful Russian fighters ever built has been in service with the Indian Airforce since the mid-eighties. The MiG-29K is a very different beast that is equipped with new weapons and sensors. It is a fighter that can threaten several contemporary Western fighters including F-15 or F-16 (newer variants.)
There is a reason the US would hardly give up any opportunity to exercise with the MiG-29K:
To your surprise, Russia wasn’t the first Navy to deploy the MiG-29K but the Indian Navy. A few years ago, along with the very famous aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, the Indian Navy received the MiG-29K as part of the package deal.
This was something that kept the US Navy’s fighter pilots interested.
Not just this but there was something else too. A mission that keeps the US pilots interested.
Yesterday, the Indian Navy MiGs mounted (CAPs) combat air patrols defending a warship against the US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets, which in turn stimulated an anti-ship mission. Indian Navy sources told NDTV that the Indian MiGs performed great in the mission. But the US Navy was delighted at the scene as well.
According to the Commander of Carrier Strike Group 11 which operates around the USS Nimitz, Rear Admiral William D. Byrne, Jr., “The MiG-29s that were flying off the Vikramaditya and the FA-18 Super Hornets flying off Nimitz made approaches to the opposite flight decks, got up in the air and got to do some dog fighting as well, which was pretty overwhelming.”
Well, Russia hasn’t always been appreciative that India exposes its front-line platforms in exercises involving the United States but the United States is a key ally of India. Not just this but the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy gain immeasurably in training with the world’s foremost military power that is the US. Although, the secrets are always maintained. All modern Air Forces do not reveal their highly classified radar frequencies and operate using training frequencies.
MiG-29K, the jet; a brand new navalised variant of the most successful Russian fighters ever built has been in service with the Indian Airforce since the mid-eighties. The MiG-29K is a very different beast that is equipped with new weapons and sensors. It is a fighter that can threaten several contemporary Western fighters including F-15 or F-16 (newer variants.)
There is a reason the US would hardly give up any opportunity to exercise with the MiG-29K:
To your surprise, Russia wasn’t the first Navy to deploy the MiG-29K but the Indian Navy. A few years ago, along with the very famous aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, the Indian Navy received the MiG-29K as part of the package deal.
This was something that kept the US Navy’s fighter pilots interested.
Not just this but there was something else too. A mission that keeps the US pilots interested.
Yesterday, the Indian Navy MiGs mounted (CAPs) combat air patrols defending a warship against the US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets, which in turn stimulated an anti-ship mission. Indian Navy sources told NDTV that the Indian MiGs performed great in the mission. But the US Navy was delighted at the scene as well.
According to the Commander of Carrier Strike Group 11 which operates around the USS Nimitz, Rear Admiral William D. Byrne, Jr., “The MiG-29s that were flying off the Vikramaditya and the FA-18 Super Hornets flying off Nimitz made approaches to the opposite flight decks, got up in the air and got to do some dog fighting as well, which was pretty overwhelming.”
Well, Russia hasn’t always been appreciative that India exposes its front-line platforms in exercises involving the United States but the United States is a key ally of India. Not just this but the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy gain immeasurably in training with the world’s foremost military power that is the US. Although, the secrets are always maintained. All modern Air Forces do not reveal their highly classified radar frequencies and operate using training frequencies.
