Days after an anti-submarine warfare aircraft of Indian Navy made an emergency landing at an airport outside Moscow, its Russian manufacturer offered a prompt assistance.
Aviation major Ilyushin that manufactured Indian Navy's IL-38 aircraft conveyed to the naval headquarters that it would repair the damaged aircraft within the next 30 days. “The offer is to repair the damage and make it flying in the next 30 days,” sources said.
On April 28, the naval aircraft experienced failure to lower the front landing gear and had to make an emergency landing at the Zhukovsky airport outside Moscow.
No Indian crew was onboard during the sortie as the aircraft was on an initial test flight with all Russian crew.
The Indian Navy officials, who were to fly the aircraft back to its home base in Goa, would now be returning to India and go back only when the plane is ready.
Two of these IL-38 aircraft are in Russia for their second mid-life upgrade and overhaul. These aircraft entered the service between 1977 and 1983. They underwent another round of upgrade in the last decade when these platforms were fitted with Sea Dragon reconnaissance suit.
(Published 02 May 2018, 15:29 IST)
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