Posted on 11/07/2014 2:26:10 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
The Indian Navy's young and potent MiG-29K fleet gives their long-awaited aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya, a serious punch. India remains committed to simpler ski-jump instead of catapult configured carriers, and what is not great for a fighter's range and payload is fantastic for visuals, as you can see in the video below.
In many ways, the MiG-29K is the ultimate comeback kid. The earliest version of this MiG-29 Fulcrum derivative first flew in 1988. After the fall of the Soviet Union there were no funds available to field two carrier fighters for what was then Russia's rusting navy.
Mikoyan and Gurevich continued to tinker with their carrier capable MiG-29 over the years and by the mid 2000s, when India came shopping for a fixed wing aircraft carrier, the Mig-29K suddenly leaped back into life. During India's initial evaluations, the MiG beat out the current operational Russian naval fighter, the gargantuan Sukhoi SU-33.
After negotiating the refitting and purchase of the derelict Russian carrier Admiral Gorshkov, India also purchased 16 highly evolved MiG-29Ks to fly off of it. As the program matured, India doubled down on the MiG-29K with another order of 25 examples. Russia, as part of its revitalization of its expeditionary forces, is also now ordering the MiG-29K to be deployed on its own carrier, the Admirial Kuznetsov, replacing the big but dated SU-33 entirely.
24 examples will be delivered to the Russian Navy by the end of 2015, although this number could substantially grow over time if Russia actually realizes its plans for expanded its naval power projection capabilities by adding additional aircraft carriers. At this time, such a proposition is still a paper one, but the MiG-29k is seen as the aircraft that Russia would build a multi-carrier force around.
It is very exciting to see the MiG-29 line continue to evolve and thrive in what is a very fickle and crowded international marketplace for fighter aircraft. The MiG-29K is a very different machine than its legacy brethren, even from the first prototype aircraft that took the designation some 26 years ago.
The MiG-29K features a totally redesigned wing and leading edge root extension, beefier landing gear, a modern glass cockpit and the proven and upgradable Zhuk-ME radar. It also carries much more gas than the "legacy" MiG-29 (40% more internal fuel), includes a full fly-by-wire flight control system, has true multi-role capability and includes a high-degree of sensor fusion, at least for a Russian design. All of this comes in a package with the ruggedness that is a hallmark of MiG designs. As a comparison, the MiG-29K is very roughly analogous to something between an F/A-18C/D Hornet and a early block F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
In the end, the MiG-29K seems like a rational mix of capability, size and cost (unit cost around $32M). It also offers the multi-role capability, relatively advanced weaponry and ability to act as a buddy tanker that have been lacking in past Russian naval fighter designs. Still, I would love to know what type of actual payload and range envelopes these machines can achieve when working off of ski-jump equipped aircraft carriers.
Regardless of the MiG-29K's actual combat radius or its ability to lift heavy loads off the boat, once it is airborne it represents a formidable and modern threat.
Thanks Sukhoi for the daily doses of “plane porn” you post.
From a former air cadet,
CC
Unladen like that, might be able to launch off a flat deck carrier and no catapult? of course, what good what do.
>>If is was an F-18 there would be some spectacular crash video.<<
I have seen F-18’s at air shows and in practice do the same maneuver.
Be interesting to hear from a carrier pilot what went wrong, looked like he was doing fine until he suddenly went nose high. Good thing he did not catch the wire in that attitude!
Seldom does a refit change the basic character of a ship as much as INS Vikramaditya changed from a CA/CVL to true CV.
Still it takes 3 of any other nations CV’s to = 1 CVA(N) :)
Is the Vikramaditya in the same class as the carrier the chicoms are currently refitting?
CC
The Vikramidtya is a modified Kiev class carrier
was the Admiral Gorshkov in Soviet times
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Vikramaditya
ping...
No,
The Vikramaditya was a converted Kiev class ship, which was meant to be a missile-carrying STOVL carrier. So, it was smaller in size and had inherent design limitations compared to Liaoning, which was meant to be a ‘pure’ carrier and was significantly larger in size.
Hence, the refit ended up hurting India badly.
Okay, thanks.
CC
It’s got pretty good pick-up.
Home Viewing Bookmark.
Night time practice, eh!
Reminds me of a conversation I had with an ex-pilot. He was telling me about some Aircraft Carrier war games, and mentioned that the sun was setting so they suspended the exercise until the next day.
I said, “Wait a minute; are you telling me that you don’t take off from and land on the carrier at night? This is a war game, and wars get fought at night too.”
He smiled at me like I was ignorant of just how scary it is to land on a carrier, even in the day time: “In war, you bleed a lot too, but you don’t practice bleeding.”
Airborne units practice night missions involving helicopters. Extremely dangerous, given the low altitudes and number of choppers involved. I'm surprised they don't do war games involving night time landings.
Based upon that statement, I would tend to discredit the comments of the supposed ex-pilot. I have some experience in Carrier Flight Ops, and can tell you truthfully that yes indeed, we bloody well DO perform Flight Ops at night, even while not in battle conditions. Good training involves day and night ops, in good or bad weather.
Also, during rain, high winds and rough seas. Carriers are not small ships but they do pitch and roll some -and nobody promised you your career in flight ops would be safe, especially while operating in a carrier-based environment.
Look, for example, at your typical EA-6B. All-weather bird -and yes, it DOES fly in all weather conditions, during the day or at night.
Oh really? During evals, simulations, and even MASSEXs we practiced bleeding quite a bit. Also, quick and effective responses to incoming fire, explosions, return fire, battle damage, and on-scene triages as necessary. The corpsmen practiced patching us up due to enemy actions, speedy wound bandaging, and getting others out of the action and into (usually temporary) medical aid stations as necessary.
I spent months at a time working the night shift on a carrier on several cruises, so I can assure you that they do indeed fly and practice warfare at night.
Not to say it wasn’t difficult. I used to see the pilots walking back to the Ready Rooms after they got off the flight deck.
You couldn’t see it under the red light conditions on deck.
But when they got below in the lighted passageways, you could see their hair, damp with sweat, and the the pit and crotch dark areas where they perspired.
That convinced me how tough landing at night must be. But they do it.
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