India on Friday received its newest aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, the largest warship to be built in the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today commissioned INS Vikrant, during a grand ceremony at Cochin Shipyard. Built at a cost of ₹ 20,000 crore, it will serve as the Navy’s second operational aircraft carrier after INS Vikramaditya, a modified Kiev-class warship.
But did you know which aircraft will be the main arsenal of this 45,000-tonne warship? Here are the details.
As per information available, Russian-origin MiG-29K, a naval version of the MiG-29 jet of the Indian Air Force will be the main aircraft on the warship.
MiG-29K, an all-weather fighter jet has a maximum speed of Mach 2 and can pull up eight times the force of gravity.
It has top capabilities in engaging targets in air, land or sea. Boasting air-to-air refuelling capacity, MiG-29K can come handy in executing long-range missions.
INS Vikrant can have 30 aircraft on board, including MiG-29K fighter jets and multi-role helicopters. It can also accommodate around 1600 crew.