Upgraded MiG-29 fighter planes will go for longer sorties

The duration of sorties of MiG-29 combat aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to increase soon.

Air Commodore Samir Borade, commanding officer of the IAF Station Ozar in Nashik, told reporters on Friday that

MiG-29 fighter planes

are being upgraded in such a way that it will join the 4.5 generation of fighter jets.

The Air Force Station Ozar, the only Fighter Aircraft Repair Depot of Indian Air Force, is presently working on capacity upgradation of the MiG-29 frontline fighters. "Once the upgradation is complete, flying duration of the aircraft can be increased twice from the present flying time of 45 minutes to 50 minutes," Borade said. Upgradation work on the planes will also include features like air-to-air-refilling, head-up display change, helmet monitoring system, additional combat gears etc.

"The upgraded MiG-29 will be fully equipped for delivering weapons, including missiles. Upgradation is in final stages," the officer said.

Borade said that the 11 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the station has also undertaken large scale indigenisation of spares which are being manufactured by Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in Nashik.

At present, the depot is working towards developing Air Force - Industry - Academia interaction to take up new technology projects

In reply to a question, Borade said 11 BRD is also undertaking Repair and Overhaul (ROH) of Su-30 MKI aircraft.

"The first Su-30 MKI overhauled by the depot successfully took off in April this year. This aircraft will be inducted in the operational squadron soon," said Borade. The innovation of Su-30 MKI

ejection seat

test bench was appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Air Force Day last year.

The depot is the first unit of the IAF to be accredited with ISO and has recently upgraded to ISO 9001 - 2015 and ISO 14001-2015.