Jodhpur: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today took off in the IAF s frontline combat jet Sukhoi 30 MKI from the air base here.

The country’s first woman defence minister sat in the rear seat behind the pilot and was wearing the pilot s G-suit. The sortie is likely to last for 30 minutes, defence sources said.

“She is reviewing the operational preparedness and combat capabilities,” the sources said. Sukoi-30 MKI is a nuclear-capable aircraft which can penetrate deep into enemy territory.