Indo-Russian deal on MiG-29K ready

By Rasheed Kappan

BANGALORE, FEB. 10. India and Russia have prepared contract documents for sale of 25 to 28 Russian MiG-29K aircraft to be attached to the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier. The Indian Navy is gearing for the procurement of the carrier which is to be re-equipped as a base for conventional fighters.

``The documents are waiting to be signed. A final decision on the exact number of aircraft will be known once the helicopter strength for the aircraft carrier is known,'' top officials of the MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation told The Hindu. ``The number will also depend on the role for which the carrier is being procured.''

Reports of an Indo-Russian deal on the supply of five Ka-31 marine helicopters have hinted at a speedy conclusion of the deal. Incidentally, the Ka-31 AEW helicopters could be incorporated into the Gorshkov aircraft carrier. If the carrier deal is through, and no more helicopters are to be procured for the purpose, the number of MiG-29K could be close to 25. Top MiG officials said if there were no helicopters at all, the carrier would need a fleet of 30 MiG-29Ks.

The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, recently indicated that MiG-29K would be ``the'' aircraft that would go with Admiral Gorshkov. Built as a carrier-borne aircraft, the composition of the MiG-29K's weapon is shaped by the fighter's primary mission - destroying hostile aircraft and warships.

The aircraft's main weaponry includes RW-AE medium- range active radar homing air-to-air missiles, R-73 short-range heat-seeking air-to-air missiles, and Kh-31A anti-ship active radar homing missiles, besides precision-guided munitions to kill ``pinpoint'' ground targets, aerial bombs, rockets and an integral cannon.

Unlike other carrier-borne aircraft, MiG-29K requires less room on the flight deck and in the hangars of the carrier, ensuring a larger number of aircraft both on board in general and in the combat component of the carrier air group in particular.

The high-combat efficiency, wide spectrum of combat missions, group operation capability and lesser fuel consumption per sortie of the aircraft have impressed the Indian officials who are shopping for a carrier aircraft fleet for Admiral Gorshkov.

According to officials, the contract, if finalised, will even entail the licensed production of MiG-29K from Indian aviation companies, on the lines of previous deals. India is also likely to supply the avionics for the aircraft, like the Sukhoi- 30MKI project. The latter's avionics features Indian, French and Israeli components. Among other carrier aircraft which were considered for the Gorshkov were the Sukhoi-33 aircraft and the Ka-28 ASW helicopters.

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