Mikoyan MiG-29K
The fighter that flies from both Indian carriers.
About the MiG-29K
The Mikoyan MiG-29K is a Russian all-weather carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Mikoyan Design Bureau. The MiG-29K was developed in the late 1980s from the MiG-29M. Mikoyan describes it as a 4+ generation aircraft.
Service history
Ordered in 2004 alongside the Vikramaditya deal, the MiG-29K gave the Navy a genuine carrier fighter for the first time since the Sea Harrier. It operates from both carriers in STOBAR configuration. Serviceability and airframe defects have drawn sustained criticism from the national auditor, and the Navy selected the Rafale M in 2025 as its successor.
Combat edge
Ski-jump launch from Vikramaditya and Vikrant
Folding wings and reinforced arrestor gear
Zhuk-ME radar with BVR missile capability
To be supplemented by the Rafale M from 2028