Rafale Marine completes maiden carrier landing aboard INS Vikrant

A Rafale Marine fighter jet has successfully completed its first landing and takeoff from INS Vikrant, India's first domestically-designed and constructed aircraft carrier, according to officials briefed on the development. The achievement, confirmed on Friday, represents a pivotal moment in the Navy's efforts to operationalise the French-origin fighter aircraft aboard its newest carrier platform.

The trials underscore the compatibility between the Rafale Marine and the carrier's flight deck systems, including its arrested landing gear and launch mechanisms. Officials said the successful demonstration validates the aircraft's integration with INS Vikrant ahead of its formal induction into the naval air arm.

The Rafale Marine variant, equipped with carrier-specific modifications, is designed to operate from India's aircraft carriers. The completion of deck trials is a prerequisite before the fighter jets are formally inducted and deployed for operational duties.

INS Vikrant was commissioned into the Indian Navy in September 2022 and represents a major technological achievement in indigenous shipbuilding. The carrier has a displacement of approximately 40,000 tonnes and is equipped with a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) system, which enables aircraft to land using arresting cables while requiring minimal runway length for takeoff.

The successful maiden trials are expected to accelerate the pace of integrating additional Rafale Marine aircraft and other fixed-wing platforms onto the carrier, strengthening the Navy's operational capabilities in the Indian Ocean region.