TSAMTO, April 18. The United States will send two Boeing F-18 Super Hornet carrier-based fighters to India to assess the possibility of their operation on the Vikrant class aircraft carrier under construction.
As reported by Infodefensa.com At the same time, for the same purpose, local authorities are already evaluating the Rafale-M fighters of the French company Dassault Aviation. The tests began in January at the Hansa base in Goa.
According to the Hindustan Times, the French aircraft showed good results in the tests carried out. Testing of the F-18 is scheduled to begin approximately on May 21, also at the Hansa base in Goa.
As previously reported by TSAMTO, the Indian Navy, within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement with the company that won the tender, plans to purchase 26 carrier-based fighters to complete the air group of the first national aircraft carrier of the Vikrant class (IAC–1) in the future, which is scheduled to be commissioned on August 15 this year - by the Day of the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the country.
The existing aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy "Vikramaditya" (former Admiral Gorshkov) is currently equipped with Russian-made MiG-29K fighters. It is expected that in the future aircraft carriers of their own construction will be equipped with carrier-based fighters LCA "Tejas" of national production, and before that it is planned to purchase new aircraft in France or in the United States.
After more than a year of repairs and maintenance, the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya will soon return to service. At the same time, the completed Vikrant is expected to begin comprehensive sea trials with MiG-29K fighters on board at the end of the year.
