(This News Is Originally Posted On ABP Live By Nayanima Basu)
The Indian Navy is waiting for the government to take the final decision and choose either Dassault Aviation’s Rafale M or Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet for India’s new aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar told ABP Live.
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The Navy Chief added, “This will be the decision of the government. We have said yes to both. Now it’s for the MoD (Ministry of Defence) to decide. Both the aircraft are okay. They have proved themselves. But now there will be other issues, for example, we already have Rafales for the Air Force. Now there will be a commonality for spare parts and support etc.,”.
When asked which one of the aircraft the Navy prefers, Kumar said: “Each has got its own strengths and weaknesses, so let the government decide.”
“The Navy currently operates a Russian MiG 29K for INS Vikrant. But it wants to go for a completely indigenous fighter jet in the future and imported Rafale M or Super Hornet will be used only temporarily,” he said
