NEW DELHI - The Indian Air Force has decided to station its upgraded MiG-29 aircraft close to the Pakistan border.
The first lot of the 62 upgraded Russian-built aircraft will be deployed at Adampur air base in the border state of Punjab, a Defence Ministry official said.
The first six MiG-29s will be delivered by mid-2010 following upgrades in Russia, with the remaining aircraft to follow by 2013, the official said.
Under an $850 million contract signed with Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG in early 2008, the 62 MiGs are being upgraded from aerial interceptor and air dominance aircraft to fighter-bombers capable of striking mobile and stationary targets on the ground and at sea, in all weather conditions, with high-precision weapons.
Upgrades to the MiG-29s will include multifunctional Zhuk-ME radar, and new weapon control and avionics systems. The aircraft also will be capable of beyond-visual-range combat, armed with new-generation air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, and smart aerial bombs.
Additionally, the Air Force's remaining MiG-29 fleet will be retrofitted at the service's repair depot at Nashik, under transfer of technology from Russia, extending their service life to 40 years and turning the air-superiority fighters into more lethal multi-role jets.
The Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program is ready to test a few components that soldiers may have in their hands by 2010.
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