Naval LCA, MiG-29K Mark Maiden Landing on India-made Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant

The naval version of India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) alongwith the MiG-29K undertook maiden landing onboard INS Vikrant, the country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) on February 6.

“(Landing of LCA Navy onboard INS Vikrant) Demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, construct & operate Indigenous Aircraft Carrier with indigenous Fighter Aircraft,” the Indian Navy confirmed in a tweet.

This is also the maiden landing of a fixed wing jet on the carrier as part of its operationalisation.

"The maiden landing of the Mig-29K also heralds the integration of the fighter aircraft with INS Vikrant. Congratulations to all those who made it happen." - Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff was quoted as saying in an Indian MoD statement.
The Carrier has been undertaking extensive Air Operations with Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft since 13 Dec 22 towards Air Certification and Flight Integration Trials for achieving the ultimate aim of being ‘Combat Ready’. As part of the aviation trials, landing of LCA (Navy) and MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant was carried out on 06 Feb 23 by Indian Naval Test Pilots.
The landing of MiG-29K onboard INS Vikrant is also a significant achievement as it marks the successful integration of the aircraft with the indigenous carrier as well as further enhances the Combat Readiness of the Navy, the statement said.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) demonstrated successful arrested landing of Naval LCA on INS Vikramaditya in January 2020, and subsequently, 18 take-offs and landings were conducted in five days. However, the Navy has projected a requirement for a twin engine aircraft to operate from the carrier.

INS Vikrant displacing a weight of 42,800 tonnes was commissioned into the Navy last September. The aviation trials are to be carried out post commissioning.

The warship, powered by four General Electric engines, uses an aircraft-operation mode known as Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) for which it is equipped with a ski-jump for launching aircraft, and a set of three ‘arrester wires’ for their recovery onboard.

Initially, the carrier would be operating the existing Mig-29Ks in service, while a decision on procurement of an advanced fighter, between the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and the Dassault Aviation Rafale, is expected in the next few months.