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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today undertook a sortie in IAF’s frontline combat jet Sukhoi-30 MKI – an indigenously-built twin-engine fighter jet capable of carrying nuclear strikes in the western sector of Rajasthan. The country's first woman defence minister described the 30-minute sortie as "wonderful". Wearing the pilot’s G-suit, the 58-year old Sitharaman sat in the rear seat behind the pilot in the cockpit of IAF’s frontline combat jet which took off from the Jodhpur air base. Let us take a look at some of the spectacular images:
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Nirmala Sitharaman was seen seated in the cockpit. (Image: Twitter/@DefenceMinIndia)
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The plane flew towards the west of Jodhpur, sources said. (Image: Twitter/@DefenceMinIndia)
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Sitharaman also familiarised herself with the formidable fighter jet and its cockpit. (Image: Twitter/@DefenceMinIndia)
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Prior to the sortie, the minister was briefed by the pilot. (PTI Photo)
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Wearing an olive green flight suit, Sitharaman, the first woman Defence Minister of India, flew from the Air Force Station here in Rajasthan. (PTI Photo)
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Earlier Sitharaman met IAF personnel at the air force station and reviewed the operational and combat preparedness of the force, the sources said. (PTI Photo)
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Sukhoi-30 MKI is a nuclear-capable aircraft which can penetrate deep into enemy territory. (Image: Twitter/@DefenceMinIndia)
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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman poses for a group photo with air warriors before flying in an IAF's Sukhoi-30 MKI plane, in Jodhpur. (PTI Photo)
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The Sukhoi SU -30 MKI is a multi-role fighter developed by Russia's Sukhoi and built under licence by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (PTI Photo)
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