PM to inaugurate naval flight test facility in Goa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will this week inaugurate the flying deck-like Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) for naval aircraft at the INS Hansa, a naval base in Goa, officials said.

Modi is expected to inaugurate the facility Saturday, according to Indian Navy officials.

The SBTF at INS Hansa has both a take-off area as well as ski-jump facility, which are replicas of the facilities onboard aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, where pilots of MiG29K fighter jets will conduct simulated training.

The SBTF is the first such facility in Asia and reportedly the third in the world outside the US and Ukraine.