The Russian-Indian deal for conversion of

the Project 1143.4 Admiral Gorshkov heavy

aircraft-carrying cruiser into the Project 11430
aircraft carrier designated as Vikramaditya was
made in January 2004. At the same time, MiG
Corp. landed an order for development of
the upgraded MiG-29K multirole fighter and
MiG-29KUB combat trainer and delivery of
the first batch of 16 aircraft to the air arm of
the Indian Navy, with the aircraft to join the
Vikramadityas carrier air wing.
The flight tests of the MiG-29K (side num-
ber 941) and MiG-29KUB (side number 947)
prototypes began in 2007, with the first pro-
duction fighter taken to air in March 2008.
To prove the MiG-29K/KUB were fit for
operations from ski jump ramp and arrestor
gear-equipped carriers, MiG Corp.s test pilots
Pavel Vlasov, Nikolay Diorditsa and Mikhail
Belyayev conducted in late September 2009
the first deck landings on and takeoffs from
the Russian Navy Northern Fleets Admiral
Kuznetsov carrier, using a MiG-29K proto-
type and a production MiG-29KUB. During
200911, the first batch of 16 production-
standard MiG-29K/KUBs was delivered to
the customer, with the aircraft based at a land-
based airfield in Goa state in anticipation of the
Vikramadityas arrival in India. Last summer,
MiG Corp. launched production of the next
MiG-29K/KUB batch for the Indian Navy
under a new order for 29 more aircraft of the
type, placed in March 2010.
The Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard
had completed the Admiral Gorshkov cruisers
reconstruction into the Vikramaditya aircraft
carrier by the summer of this year. On 8 June
2012, the new carrier headed for high seas
for her running trials, during which she was
to check not only all of her onboard systems,
but also aircraft operation support equipment,
e.g. the optical landing system, arrestor gear,
release bars, etc.
First, Su-33 fighters of the Northern Fleets
shipborne fighter air regiment had been used for
testing flight operations from the Vikramaditya.
The first phase of the sea trials of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (the former Admiral
Gorshkov heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser prior to her modernisation), which took 108
days, was completed on 23 September 2012. Its key results include the practicing
of carrier operations by carrierborne aircraft, in the first place the MiG-29K/KUB
multirole carrierborne fighters developed, produced and delivered to the air arm
of the Indian Navy by MiG Corporation. The first deck landing of the MIG-29KUB
conducted by MiG Corp.s test pilots Mikhail Belyayev and Nikolai Diorditsa on deck
of INS Vikramaditya in the Barents Sea took place on 28 July 2012. Over almost
two months, Russian test pilots had performed 41 MiG-29K/KUB takeoffs and deck
landings on the new aircraft carrier, including doing so with various configurations
of their weapons suites and in the tanker plane variant. Following the completion
of Phase I of her sea trials, the Vikramaditya returned to the Sevmash shipyard in
Severodvinsk for improvements. She is slated for delivery next year.
MiG-29K
LANDS ON VIKRAMADITYA
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m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | r e p o r t
Defence Ministry Main Flight Test Centre test
pilot Hero of Russia Col. Oleg Mutovin per-
formed a series of landing approach simula-
tions on a Su-33 without touching the deck
to test the ships radio technical and optical
systems in early July. The carrierborne fighter
air regiment commanding officer, Col. Yevgeny
Kuznetsov, and Main Flight Test Centre test
pilot Maj. Dmitry Demenev performed sev-
eral flights around the Vikramaditya on their
Su-33s, during which the operation of her
radar systems was evaluated.
Then two MiG jets were ferried from
Moscow to Severomorsk the production-
standard MiG-29KUB (side number 204)
two-seater on 11 July and the MiG-29K (side
number 941) single-seat prototype on 21 July.
In mid-July, MiG Corp.s Honoured Test
Pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolay Diorditsa, and
Chief of Flight Operation/MiG Corp. Flight
Test Centre Senior Test Pilot Mikhail Belyayev
started practicing landing approaches on
the MiG-29KUB (side number 204) to the
Vikramaditya. On 17 July, the landing gear
of their MiG touched the deck of the carrier
for the first time in a series of touch-and-go
landing approaches. Col. Oleg Mutovin flew
his single-seat MiG-29K (side number 941) in
a series of similar approaches, albeit without
touching down, too.
Early on a Saturday morning of 28 July,
preparation of the MiG-29KUB for a full-
fledged landing on the carrier kicked off at the
airfield in Severomorsk. MiG Corp.s chief test
pilot Mikhail Belyayev got into the front seat
and Hero of Russia Nikolay Diorditsa took
the back seat. As soon as 09.18, the aircraft
was on deck, with the first deck landing hav-
ing been smooth. The MiG-29KUBs first
takeoff from the Vikramadityas ski jump ramp
was conducted by Belyayev and Diorditsa at
13.20 on the same day, followed by another
deck landing 40 minutes later. After that, the
fighter remained on deck, for the Vikramaditya
participated in the Navy Day naval parade in
Severomorsk on the next day.
On the holiday, as many as two fighters were
sitting on deck, one being the MiG-29KUB
(side number 204), which had landed the day
before, and the MiG-29K (side number 311),
which had been brought up from the hangar
deck (No. 311 is the prototype made in 1988,
operated as far back as on the Tbilisi in 198991
and now used on board the Vikramaditya as a
dimensional and weight mock-up). In addition,
two helicopter mock-ups those of the Kamov
Ka-27 and Ka-31 were rolled out onto deck.
Two aircraft carriers participated in the
naval parade in Severomorsk the Northern
Fleets Admiral Kuznetsov took part in addi-
tion to the Vikramaditya. She is expected to
start receiving its MiG-29K/KUB fighters
next year, with the aircraft recently ordered
by the Russian Navy. The contract made by
MiG Corp. and the Russian Defence Minister
in February 2012 stipulates for delivery of 24
advanced MiGs to the air arm of the Russian
Navy during 201315 including 20 MiG-29K
singleseaters and four MiG-29KUB twinseat-
ers. The first two Defence Ministry-ordered
aircraft are planned for production as soon as
late this year. They are to launch their official
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Viktor ANDREYEV
Photos provided by RSK MiG Corp.
Vikramaditya aircraft carrier with MiG-29KUB fighter as well as Ka-27
and Ka-31 helicopters onboard during celebrations of Russian Navy Day.
Severomorsk, 29 July 2012
Mikhail Belyayev, RSK MiGs chief test pilot (forward seat) and Hero of Russia
Nikolay Diorditsa (back seat) preparing for MiG-29KUBs first deck landing
on Vikramaditya. Severomorsk, 28 July 2012
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21 www. t ake- of f . r u take-off november 2012
test programme in 2013 and be joined by two
more of their kind in the same year. 10 aircraft
will be delivered annually in 201415. Thus,
the Kuznetsovs air wing will have not only the
Su-33 fighters it had included since the 90s, but
advanced multirole MiG-29K/KUBs as well.
The Admiral Kuznetsov carrier, Russias
only aircraft-carrying ship, will have remained
in service with the Russian Navy until the
end of the decade at the least. There is an
upgrade programme for her to be completed
prior to 2020. Under the programme, the
carrier is to be furnished with advanced air-
craft MiG-29s, Russian Navy Commander
Vice-Adm. Victor Chirkov had said on the eve
of the Navy Day in July 2012. He added that
the Navy planned construction of new aircraft-
carrying ships. The design bureaux have been
tasked with designing an advanced aircraft
carrier. Money has been disbursed to pay for
the work, Vice-Adm. Chirkov said on 26 July.
Meanwhile, the sea trials of the Vikramaditya
carried on. On 6 August, Oleg Mutovin per-
formed a landing of the MiG-29K carrying a
payload simulated by mock-ups of air-to-air
missiles. On 21 August, a high-ranking Indian
delegation, which arrived to the ship, was
demonstrated consecutive landings of both
MiGs, one carrying air-to-air missiles and the
other antiship missiles. They were followed by
Ka-27PS and Ka-31 helicopters.
During the Vikramadityas running trials,
MiG Corp.s test pilots Andrey Shishov and
Sergey Rybnikov and Main Flight Test Centre
test pilot Dmitry Demenev performed their
first deck landings on their MiG-29KUB and
MiG-29K in addition to Nikolay Diorditsa,
Mikhail Belyayev and Oleg Mutovin. During
the trials, maximum range flights were con-
ducted off the ship in late August to gauge the
operation of the MiG-29Ks navigation sys-
tem, followed by flights of the MiG-29KUB in
the tanker plane configuration with four drop
tanks and a detachable refuelling unit.
In all, the two MiGs had logged 41 takeoffs
from and landings on the Vikramaditya over
less then two months. In addition, they had
conducted numerous touch-and-go landings.
70% of the landings included snagging the
second arrestor cable (this way of landing is
regarded as the optimal one). This proves both
the professionalism of Russian test pilots and
efficient operation of the aircraft and ship-
based landing support systems.
After the improvements are made by
Sevmash, the ship will put out to sea for the
final phase of the trials next spring, the ice
conditions permitting. The final phase of
the carrier trials of the MiG-29K/KUB is
planned for the same timeframe, night flights
in particular. That done, the ship will be ready
for delivery and will be able to set off for
Indias shores.
MiG-29K with air-to-air missiles load and MiG-29KUB
onboard Vikramaditya carrier, 3 August 2012
Participants of the trials after the first MiG-29KUB deck landing, 28 July 2012
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Sergey Korotkov, RSK MiG Director
General, in MiG-29KUB cockpit
Mikhail Belyayev, RSK MiGs chief test pilot (left) and Sergey Korotkov, RSK MiG Director
General (right), after their landing in MiG-29KUB on Vikramaditya carrier, 12 September 2012
MiG-29KUB starts from Vikramadityas
deck for the first time, 28 July 2012
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | r e p o r t
23 www. t ake- of f . r u take-off november 2012