The Navy is set to acquire 16 MiG-29K fighters, including four trainer aircraft, in two years, and 16 helicopters in four years, Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said here on Saturday.
The 16 MiG-29Ks were part of a first contract — with Russia — and 29 more fighter planes would be acquired through a second contract, he said at a press conference held onboard the INS Shakti, after he commissioned the fleet tanker at the Naval Dockyard here.
Admiral Verma hoped the refitting work being done on the aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, in Russia would be completed according to schedule — by 2012.
The work has been halted for one-and-a-half years over price issues.
On coastal security, Admiral Verma said a lot of improvement was made after the Mumbai attacks and the Navy, the Coast Guard and the State governments were in perfect coordination. The Cabinet Secretary was regularly reviewing the situation.
‘The eyes and ears'
“The important part in coastal security is fishermen, who are the eyes and ears of [our surveillance]. More than 50,000 boats are operated from the coastal States and the information they are providing is good; they inform whenever a suspicious looking vessel is noticed on the sea.”
Teams comprising the Navy, the Coast Guard and local police personnel were visiting landing sites in every coastal State to create awareness among fishermen. The Coast Guard will have 60 vessels ready in the next two years.
The Customs Department, which has a competent water wing, was also being involved. The Marine Police of different States were equipping themselves with patrol vessels.
‘A major change'
The Navy chief said a major change would be seen in coastal security by next year.
On the INS Shakti being built by Italy though India leaned on Russia, Admiral Verma said the contract was awarded for the Rs.-900 crore ship in a global bidding, like in the case of any other Defence procurement procedure, in which a Russian yard also participated.
Block construction
The Fincantieri shipyard in Italy mastered the block construction method in shipbuilding. Blocks of ship are built at different yards and every half is ready in all respects. The two halves of the ship were built in different yards. The ship was also delivered in the record time of less than 24 months.
