'Black Panther' jets to be INS Vikrant's primary fighters: 5 facts

Last week, India got its newest aircraft carrier. . The INS Vikrant is made to house 35 aircraft. While India is in the process of induction either the Boeing F-18 Super Hornet or Dassault Rafale M but the largest ship ever made in India, INS Vikrant's main arsenal will be the Russian-origin MiG-29K

 

 

 

MiG-29K is a naval version of the MiG-29 jet that has been serving with the Indian Air Force for decades. All you need to know about MiG-29K 'Black Panthers'

 

1. The MiG-29K squadron has been christened "INAS 303" and is popularly referred to as the "Black Panthers". The squadron is based at INS Hansa in Goa.

 

2. The naval MiG-29 jet, called MiG-29K, will operate from INS Vikrant in anti-air, anti-surface, and land attack roles

 

 

3. The MiG-29K is an all-weather fighter capable of exceeding twice the speed of sound - or Mach 2

 

4. It can pull up to eight times the force of gravity and reach altitudes of over 65,000 feet

 

5. Capable of engaging targets in the air, sea, and land, the MiG-29K can fly long distances to complete crucial missions because of its air-to-air refueling capability.