In one of the massive milestones for the Indian Navy, the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas conducted a successful landing on the decks of INS Vikramaditya on Saturday morning. It was the first time that an indigenous fighter aircraft landed on an aircraft carrier. Sources in the Indian Navy, “the developmental LCA (N) MK1 achieved an important milestone today with the successful arrested landing on board the Indian Navy aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.” “With this feat, the indigenously developed niche technologies specific to deck based fighter operations have been proven, which will now pave the way to develop and manufacture the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter for the Indian Navy,” the sources said.
The Naval Light Combat Aircraft made its first successful landing on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-developed fighter aircraft is expected to attempt its maiden take off from the carrier soon. https://t.co/6n4ntkQXul pic.twitter.com/M1YMfMd6pk
— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2020
Trail and success
Giving out the details, the DRDO tweeted, “after completing extensive trials on the Shore Based Test Facility, DRDO, ADA developed LCA Navy did an arrested landing on INS Vikramaditya successfully today 11 Jan 2020 at 10:02 hours. Commodore Jaideep Maolankar did the maiden landing.” Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also lauded the men and women tirelessly working for the project. “Extremely happy to learn of the maiden landing of DRDO developed LCA Navy on INS Vikramaditya. This successful landing is a great event in the history of Indian Fighter aircraft development programme. Congratulations to Team @DRDO_India & @indiannavy for this achievement. (sic),” tweeted Singh.
INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea region
The INS Vikramaditya that was used for the arrested landing has been deployed in the Arabian sea region. The deployment comes at a time when China and Pakistan are holding a nine-day mega naval exercise in the region, a move seen as New Delhi sending a clear signal to its two neighbours. Top officials of the Naval headquarters were on board the aircraft carrier when it was deployed in the strategic mission earlier this week, military sources told PTI.
Pakistan and China on Monday launched a major drill in the North Arabian Sea with an aim to increase inter-operability and strategic cooperation between their two navies. The exercise 'Sea Guardians' is taking place in the midst of heightened tension between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. Key platforms of both China and Pakistan, including submarines, destroyers and frigates, are part of the exercise. Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, with MiG29K fighters on board, has been sent with a strategic objective, the sources said without elaborating.
A Navy spokesperson said Deputy Chief of Naval Staff M S Pawar reviewed INS Vikramaditya's operations in the Arabian Sea.