After French Rafales, US F-18 fighters to be tested for Indian Navy next month

New Delhi, Apr 8: In a race for aerial power for the Indian Navy's INS Vikrant, American F-18 fighters will be conducting flight trials at INS Hansa’s shore-based test facility in Goa for consideration as the main weapon on India’s new aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Notably, US defence major Boeing will be sending its two F-18 Super Hornet fighters next month to the Indian Navy.

 

 

The indigenous aircraft carrier-1 (IAC-1), the warship is going to be commissioned on August 15, 2022, the 75th year of Indian independence, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

 

Reports suggest the flight trials will be around May 21. This date may depend on the availability of mid-air refueling tankers with Boeing to fly the F-18s to Goa. The INS Vikramaditya will be soon joining duties after more than a yearlong overhaul and maintenance. On the other hand, the IAC-1 or INS Vikrant is under exhaustive sea trials and will be in action later this year with MiG-29K fighters on board for the time being.

 

The other fighter considered for INS Vikrant and Vikramaditya is Rafale-M, which was tested by the Indian Navy this January at the same facility in Goa with good results.

 

Both the two aerial platforms can carry massive weapon loads, long-range air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground weapons. However, the F/A-18 Hornet gets an upper as it can carry up to four anti-submarine missiles as compared to one by the Rafale-M fighter. Both are proven 4.5 generation fighters with the F-18 having a hugely successful history of combat over high seas and land.