Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Flies Sukhoi 30 MKI Fighter Jet in 45-Minute Sortie
Sitharaman flew the twin-engine aircraft in a 45-minute sortie to review its operational readiness.
Jaipur, Jan 17: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman became the second woman leader of India - after former President Pratibha Patil - to fly the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jet.
Sitharaman flew the twin-engine aircraft in a 45-minute sortie to review its operational readiness. The aircraft took off from the Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan.
The move comes days after the Defence Minister went onboard of INS Kolkata, an indigenously designed anti-missile vessel, to observe the prowess of the Indian Navy.
Earlier, she also went onboard of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, which flew over the Arabian Sea during the recent naval exercise.
During her sortie, Sitharaman was seen wearing the G-suit, which keeps the body intact during the sharp turns made by the jets, along with the helmet and oxygen mask.
The Sukhoi 30 jet which Sitharaman rode today is a modified variant of the Russia-made Sukhoi Su-30. The aircraft was developed indigenously by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Commissioned in the year 2004, the Indian Air Force now has 11 squadrons of the jet. By 2025, the IAF plans to add two more.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 17, 2018 02:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).