Chandigarh: It was the end of an era as the Indian Air Force (IAF) bade farewell to the legendary Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets, at Chandigarh on Friday. The Mig-21 was the first supersonic aircraft to be inducted by the IAF.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh called the fighter jets mighty war machines, even as they streaked through the sky overhead, for the last time.
“The MiG-21 is not only an aircraft or machine but also proof of deep India-Russia ties…The history of military aviation is incredible. The MiG 21 added many proud moments in our military aviation journey,” the defence minister said during the event.
Among those present were former IAF chiefs Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis (retd), Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi (retd) and Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa (retd), apart from Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first man from India to visit the International Space Station (ISS).
Several veterans, who had piloted the aircraft, were also present.
“For a long time, the MiG-21 has been a witness to numerous heroic deeds. Its contribution has not been limited to a single event or a single war. From the war of 1971 to the Kargil conflict, or from the Balakot airstrike to Operation Sindoor, there has not been a moment when the MiG-21 has not provided tremendous strength to our armed forces,” Singh said, recounting the jets’ contribution to Indian security.
The first batch of MiG-21s arrived in India in 1963. The aircraft was then an enigma, even among western powers like the US. Over the next few decades, the IAF procured over 870 MiG-21s to enhance its combat capabilities.
The Soviet-era Mig-21 did not possess superior avionics though and was difficult to handle for rookie pilots. It was used as a conversion aircraft for young pilots moving to jets from piston-engine trainers. Its tremendous take-off speed was an issue and accidents started taking place, resulting in deaths.
Later, spares became a problem after the dissolution of the USSR.
A month ago, the MiG-21 jets made their final operational flights at the Nal Air Force Station in Rajasthan’s Bikaner.
On Friday, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew a sortie in the MiG-21 Bison aircraft with the call sign Badal 3. The aircraft flew the Badal and Panther formations.
The ceremony also featured a display by the IAF’s elite skydiving team, Akash Ganga, who jumped from a height of 8,000 feet, followed by a flypast of MiG-21 aircraft, accompanied by the precision of the air warrior drill team and an aerial salute.
