India Approves Engine Repair Facility For MiG 29K Carrier Aircraft

India plans to set up an ‘intermediate’ engine repair facility for its MiG 29k fighter jets at the Indian Navy base at Goa.

The move was taken by the government for improving serviceability of the carrier aircraft as Indian Navy has 45 such jets that operate from sea-borne aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov i.e INS Vikramaditya, Sputnik news reported Tuesday.

Russia has completed the delivery of all the contracted fourth generation multi role fighters in 2016.

“This was a long overdue measure. There was always an understanding between India and Russia that once these aircrafts come, a repair facility will be installed but somehow it got delayed. Indian Navy was pressurizing to government for more than 2-3 years for repair facility in Goa where squadron is based.” said Indian Naval Commander Abhijit Singh (retired).

“As we know that serviceability of MiG 29K jets is very low and Indian Navy was struggling to find spare parts for the aircraft, sanctioning of this repair facility is definitely a welcome step,”  Singh added.

India’s top auditor CAG had criticized the Russian manufacturer for low level of serviceability and engine capacity.

According to revealed CAG last year in its audit “The serviceability of MiG29K was unsatisfactory, ranging from 15.93 per cent to 37.63 per cent. However, the serviceability of the MiG 29KUB trainer aircraft was comparatively better, ranging from 21.30 per cent to 47.14 per cent,”.

The service life of the aircraft is 6000 hrs or 25 calendar years whichever is earlier while service life of RD-33MK engine fitted on MiG29K/KUB is 10 years/4000 hours with an overhaul life of 1000 hours.

“Repair facility is basically only to create indigenous capability to make sure that aircraft are always in serviceable condition. For this Russia may provide equipment and training to Indian Navy. But, serviceability will all depend on how Russian manufacturers supply spare parts to India,” Abhijit Singh added.

Last month Russia had announced that it would set-up an after-sales service center in India for maintenance of MiG-29 fighter jets for its foreign clients.

“We offer the contractual after-sales service to our foreign clients. Beside the delivery of the aircraft, we are ready to create the maintenance centers on the territory of the client … Such a center to service MiG-29 jets is expected to be opened in India in 2017,” Sergey Korotkov, the vice-president of the United Aircraft Corporation for innovations said.

The Mig-29, Fulcrum NATO-codename, is a single-seat, highly maneuverable fighter aircraft designed to engage airborne targets such as aircraft, UAVs and cruise missiles.

It features a limited air-to-surface/ ground strike capability. The Mig-29 is the Soviet counterpart to US F-15, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft. More than 1,300 Mig-29s have been produced for 27 countries worldwide.