<p>A pair of Russian-origin naval MiG-29K fighters will fly overhead US President Barack Obama on the Republic Day, making their maiden appearance on the annual display of India’s military might.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The two fighters – the most potent weapons on board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya – are to leave their home base in Goa shortly to arrive in the North for the practice drill. They will be accompanied by a US-origin P8I maritime surveillance aircraft. The threesome would fly in a “Vic” formation with P8I in the front.<br /><br />This would be the first appearance of naval fighters on the Rajpath in a growing reflection of India’s maritime strength, sources said.<br /><br />Almost three decades back, a young naval aviator Arun Prakash – who rose to become the Navy chief – flew with Sea Harrier jets over the Rajpath as a part of the Beating <br />the Retreat ceremony. That was the last time when naval combat aviation came to the capital.<br /><br />New Delhi purchased 45 naval fighters from Russia to fly from the decks of INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) and indigenous carrier Vikrant, which is under construction. The first MiG-29K squadron was commissioned in Goa in August, 2013 and currently there are six fully trained pilots who can land on the deck even in pitch dark night.<br /><br />Carrying enough punch to undertake simultaneous air dominance and power projection missions, the MiG-29K can take Indian naval aviation from a defensive stature to one of dominance. The aircraft has a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound (about 2,000 km per hour) and can climb to an altitude of over 65,000 feet.<br /><br /> The Navy is now set to start a second base of these fighters at the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam.<br /><br />The maritime combat platform, however, would not be the only Russian origin military hardware that Obama would witness. There will also be tanks, armoured vehicles and Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. Two of the Indian Air Force’s latest acquisitions – C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III – from the USA too would fly on the Rajpath.</p>
<p>A pair of Russian-origin naval MiG-29K fighters will fly overhead US President Barack Obama on the Republic Day, making their maiden appearance on the annual display of India’s military might.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The two fighters – the most potent weapons on board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya – are to leave their home base in Goa shortly to arrive in the North for the practice drill. They will be accompanied by a US-origin P8I maritime surveillance aircraft. The threesome would fly in a “Vic” formation with P8I in the front.<br /><br />This would be the first appearance of naval fighters on the Rajpath in a growing reflection of India’s maritime strength, sources said.<br /><br />Almost three decades back, a young naval aviator Arun Prakash – who rose to become the Navy chief – flew with Sea Harrier jets over the Rajpath as a part of the Beating <br />the Retreat ceremony. That was the last time when naval combat aviation came to the capital.<br /><br />New Delhi purchased 45 naval fighters from Russia to fly from the decks of INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) and indigenous carrier Vikrant, which is under construction. The first MiG-29K squadron was commissioned in Goa in August, 2013 and currently there are six fully trained pilots who can land on the deck even in pitch dark night.<br /><br />Carrying enough punch to undertake simultaneous air dominance and power projection missions, the MiG-29K can take Indian naval aviation from a defensive stature to one of dominance. The aircraft has a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound (about 2,000 km per hour) and can climb to an altitude of over 65,000 feet.<br /><br /> The Navy is now set to start a second base of these fighters at the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam.<br /><br />The maritime combat platform, however, would not be the only Russian origin military hardware that Obama would witness. There will also be tanks, armoured vehicles and Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. Two of the Indian Air Force’s latest acquisitions – C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III – from the USA too would fly on the Rajpath.</p>