Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman became the first woman defence minister to fly in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI.

Sitharaman occupied the back seat of the two-seater air superiority fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as it soared into the skies over Jodhpur from the city’s Air Force Station.

Dressed in flying overalls, Sitharaman met the air force personnel at the AFS and familiarised before her 30-minute sortie as a co-pilot.

Through the sortie, the Defence Minister took stock of the operational preparedness and combat capabilities of the IAF in the western sector.

Smt @nsitharaman takes off on the Su-30 MKI #RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi pic.twitter.com/xC51hjeCSa

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) January 17, 2018

The Sukhoi was flown by a Group Captain-rank officer.

“I had a very memorable experience,” Sitharaman said after alighting from the aircraft.

“It was a very smooth ride. The Group Captain made me feel at ease. This sortie shows the excellent training our fighter pilots receive,” she said.

The Defence Minister said that she is proud, thankful and grateful to all of the air force personnel.

She said that the Sukhoi crossed the speed of sound at Mach 1 and flew at an altitude of 8000 meters.

Ever since taking over as the Defence Minister, Sitharaman has been visiting military establishments, including forward areas, across the country to review combat readiness, operational preparedness and facilities for the personnel of the three forces.

Earlier this month, Sitharaman saw the might of the Navy by staying on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a licensed-produced Indian version of the elite Russian fighter jet. The fighter is designed for deep penetration into enemy territory.

In November 2017, the IAF successfully modified the fighter jet to launch the nuclear-capable BrahMos cruise missile from air.

Commissioned in 2004, the Sukhoi is the frontline fighter of the IAF and makes up 11 squadrons of the force. India plans to add two more Sukhoi squadrons to its fleet by 2025.

Six Indian leaders have flown in a Sukhoi before Sitharaman.

A P J Abdul Kalam — He was the first Indian head of the state to fly in a Sukhoi. The late Dr. Kalam flew in a Su-30 in June 2003. He was 74 years old at the time.

George Fernandes — In June 2003, George Fernandes became the first Indian defence minister to fly a Sukhoi. He was 73 when he took off in the jet from Lohegaon Air Force Station near Pune.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil — After flying in the fighter aircraft in November 2009 from the Indian Air Force Base in Lohegaon, then President Pratibha Patil became the first woman leader to fly in the frontline IAF fighter.

Rao Inderjit Singh — Rao Inderjit Singh was the MoS Defence when he flew in a Su-30 from Hindon air base in August 2015.

Rajiv Pratap Rudy — A trained pilot, the BJP leader flew a Su-30 in February 2015 at the Aero India show in Bengaluru.

Kiren Rijiju — In May 2016, the MoS Home flew in a Su-30 from Halwara airbase in Punjab.