After becoming India's first defence minister to spend a night under water in a submarine, George Fernandes is set to add another first when he flies in a fighter aircraft on Friday.

"Fernandes will be part of a sortie on a twin-seater SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft based near Pune," Indian Air Force sources said in Delhi on Thursday.

The defence minister will be on board the frontline fighter for at least 30 to 40 minutes, they said.

Fernandes had in May spent a night on board a Russian Kilo Class submarine off the Visakhapatnam coast in the Bay of Bengal.

Fernandes has already set a record of sorts by visiting the world's highest battlefield, the Siachen Glacier, 32 times.

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