Indian Air Force squadron bids adieu to MiG-21 Bison fighter jets in Rajasthan | WATCH

[NG Missile Vessels]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719262239801401782

In a pivotal moment in the history of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Number 4 Squadron on Tuesday bid farewell to MiG-21 Bison fighter jets as they flew over Uttarlai at Barmer, Rajasthan for the final time in a show of the force's bid for indigenisation.

The MiG-21 jets were replaced by the Su-30 MKI aircraft as the IAF sought to modernise its defence capability, marking the end of an era. According to the Ministry of Defence, the MiG-21 was the first supersonic fighter in service of the IAF and was inducted in 1963 and has participated in all major conflicts for six decades.

The farewell ceremony saw a combined flypast by the MiG-21 and the Su-30 MKI, marking the last time the Bison fighter jets will fly in the airspace. The ceremony was witnessed by the various military and civilian dignitaries in attendance.

The Number 4 Squadron known as "Oorials" of the IAF based at Air Force Station Uttarlai, formally inducted the state-of-the-art Su-30 MKI. The conversion of this squadron to Su-30 MKI implies that the IAF now operates only two squadrons of the MiG-21. The IAF remains committed to phasing out the MiG-21 aircraft by the year 2025.

"We will stop flying the MiG-21 fighter aircraft by 2025 and we will replace the MiG-21 squadron with the LCA Mark-1A. The same proposal is in place. In another month or so, the second squadron will get number-plated and we will follow with the third one sometime next year. The induction of the LCA Mark-1A will fill the gap of these outgoing MiG-21s," said Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari earlier this month.

The Air Force is now set to replace the MiG-21 with the indigenous LCA Mark-1A fighter jets. The Su-30 fighter jets are the mainstay of the IAF with 260 of them already in service. The jets form around 50% of the fighter fleet.

The Su-30 MKI fleet upgrade plan is also seen by the IAF as an opportunity for exports as many countries in Southeast Asia and Africa operate the plane and can use these solutions to provide advanced capabilities to their fleets.

Indian Air Force squadron bids adieu to MiG-21 Bison fighter jets in Rajasthan | WATCH

Earlier, the Indian Air Force announced that it will buy 97 more LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets and replace MiG-21 aircraft completely by 2025. The MiG-21 aircraft have been in the service of the IAF for more than six decades, and the phasing-out marks the end of an era.

www.indiatvnews.com

 

[buntalanlucu]

i thought HAL Tejas going to replace Mig21 ? SU30MKI is totally different class than Mig21

 

[kmc_chacko]

i thought HAL Tejas going to replace Mig21 ? SU30MKI is totally different class than Mig21

Mig-21s will be replaced Tejas but AFB is upgraded with induction of Su-30.

 

[PradoTLC]

Dam…

So no more abilundons ?

 

[TopGun786]

i thought HAL Tejas going to replace Mig21 ? SU30MKI is totally different class than Mig21

Tejas box office collection day 4: Kangana Ranaut’s film termed ‘unmitigated disaster’, shows discontinued as it earns a meagre Rs 50 lakhs on Monday

Tejas box office collection day 4: Fate of Kangana Ranaut starrer now sealed as it'll end its lifetime run in single digit- making it one of the biggest box office duds in recent years. Reports suggested some of its shows have been discontinued.

indianexpress.com

 

[Sam6536]

Only 2 more squadrons use the mig 21 now, it will be completely phased out by 2025. By 2024 we will begin inducting the newer Tejas jets to replace the old jets.

 

[Falcon26]

The MIG-21s have been a nightmare for India, right after their induction when PAF bombed them in their hangers. Despite being called flying coffins for their incredible safety issue, the Indian Air Force persisted with the MIG-21. The planned induction of the LCA Tejas was delayed multiple decades ensuring the Indian pilots had to persist with the flying coffins. Despite all the gloom, it’s obvious the Indian Air Force saw something in these migs.

The retiring of the mig-21 is a watershed moment for the Indian Air Force, and something they wished was done in the late 1990s & not in 2023. I hope someone writes an objective book on the history of the mig-21 in the Indian Air Force.

 

[vikan]

The MIG-21s have been a nightmare for India, right after their induction when PAF bombed them in their hangers. Despite being called flying coffins for their incredible safety issue, the Indian Air Force persisted with the MIG-21. The planned induction of the LCA Tejas was delayed multiple decades ensuring the Indian pilots had to persist with the flying coffins. Despite all the gloom, it’s obvious the Indian Air Force saw something in these migs.

The retiring of the mig-21 is a watershed moment for the Indian Air Force, and something they wished was done in the late 1990s & not in 2023. I hope someone writes an objective book on the history of the mig-21 in the Indian Air Force.

I read some time ago an article written either a former IAF officer or someone with an inside knowledge of the IAF, but the jist of it was this - IAF pilots loved the mig 21 because they could push it to the extreme and then some more. But it was alao equally punishing, slightest of errors and it would be unforgiving on its pilot. The issue IAF faced with the mig 21 started with no proper trainers. Then the protracted acquisition process and Tejas delays forced them to continue using MiG 21. They could have stemmed some of the issues if the IAF had been proactive in searching for and fixing some of the 21s issues. The last part i read in a post right here in this forum by someone who knew what he was talking. If i can find the articles i am referring to i will post them here.

But all in all the 21s were a double edged sword that the IAF should have retired a long time ago.

 

[PradoTLC]

I read some time ago an article written either a former IAF officer or someone with an inside knowledge of the IAF, but the jist of it was this - IAF pilots loved the mig 21 because they could push it to the extreme and then some more. But it was alao equally punishing, slightest of errors and it would be unforgiving on its pilot. The issue IAF faced with the mig 21 started with no proper trainers. Then the protracted acquisition process and Tejas delays forced them to continue using MiG 21. They could have stemmed some of the issues if the IAF had been proactive in searching for and fixing some of the 21s issues. The last part i read in a post right here in this forum by someone who knew what he was talking. If i can find the articles i am referring to i will post them here.

But all in all the 21s were a double edged sword that the IAF should have retired a long time ago.

Mig 21 was a true Cold War fighter designed for Soviet needs .. it had great merits as a tactical fighter and if operated correctly under Soviet doctrine..

The problem is some cheap arse countries kept it far longer than it should have

 

[Chandragupt Maurya]

Mig 21 was a true Cold War fighter designed for Soviet needs .. it had great merits as a tactical fighter and if operated correctly under Soviet doctrine..

The problem is some cheap arse countries kept it far longer than it should have

However, Pakistan continues to utilize a cheap Chinese copy of the Mig21 and currently has no intentions of decommissioning it.

China’s ‘Best Selling’ Fighter Jet, Notorious For Crashes Like India’s MiG-21, Nears Full Retirement

The PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) archaic J-7 fighter jet, which has been flying for several decades and has been produced in several variants, is finally slated to be decommissioned this year. China started to retire the J-7 in earnest since the year 2018. However, Chinese experts have now opined...

www.eurasiantimes.com

 

[White and Green with M/S]

However, Pakistan continues to utilize a cheap Chinese copy of the Mig21 and currently has no intentions of decommissioning it.

China’s ‘Best Selling’ Fighter Jet, Notorious For Crashes Like India’s MiG-21, Nears Full Retirement

The PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) archaic J-7 fighter jet, which has been flying for several decades and has been produced in several variants, is finally slated to be decommissioned this year. China started to retire the J-7 in earnest since the year 2018. However, Chinese experts have now opined...

www.eurasiantimes.com

But We have much better safety record than your flying coffin

 

[Chandragupt Maurya]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1719262239801401782

In a pivotal moment in the history of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Number 4 Squadron on Tuesday bid farewell to MiG-21 Bison fighter jets as they flew over Uttarlai at Barmer, Rajasthan for the final time in a show of the force's bid for indigenisation.

The MiG-21 jets were replaced by the Su-30 MKI aircraft as the IAF sought to modernise its defence capability, marking the end of an era. According to the Ministry of Defence, the MiG-21 was the first supersonic fighter in service of the IAF and was inducted in 1963 and has participated in all major conflicts for six decades.

The farewell ceremony saw a combined flypast by the MiG-21 and the Su-30 MKI, marking the last time the Bison fighter jets will fly in the airspace. The ceremony was witnessed by the various military and civilian dignitaries in attendance.

The Number 4 Squadron known as "Oorials" of the IAF based at Air Force Station Uttarlai, formally inducted the state-of-the-art Su-30 MKI. The conversion of this squadron to Su-30 MKI implies that the IAF now operates only two squadrons of the MiG-21. The IAF remains committed to phasing out the MiG-21 aircraft by the year 2025.

"We will stop flying the MiG-21 fighter aircraft by 2025 and we will replace the MiG-21 squadron with the LCA Mark-1A. The same proposal is in place. In another month or so, the second squadron will get number-plated and we will follow with the third one sometime next year. The induction of the LCA Mark-1A will fill the gap of these outgoing MiG-21s," said Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari earlier this month.

The Air Force is now set to replace the MiG-21 with the indigenous LCA Mark-1A fighter jets. The Su-30 fighter jets are the mainstay of the IAF with 260 of them already in service. The jets form around 50% of the fighter fleet.

The Su-30 MKI fleet upgrade plan is also seen by the IAF as an opportunity for exports as many countries in Southeast Asia and Africa operate the plane and can use these solutions to provide advanced capabilities to their fleets.

Indian Air Force squadron bids adieu to MiG-21 Bison fighter jets in Rajasthan | WATCH

Earlier, the Indian Air Force announced that it will buy 97 more LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets and replace MiG-21 aircraft completely by 2025. The MiG-21 aircraft have been in the service of the IAF for more than six decades, and the phasing-out marks the end of an era.

www.indiatvnews.com

Had the Kaveri engine been prepared by now, Tejas could have been one of the highest-selling fighter jets globally. Equipping Tejas with an indigenous engine would have transformed it into a fully sanction-free, advanced fighter jet, offering an alternative to Western jets. However, there's still potential for India to develop an engine for Tejas within the next decade, akin to how China replaced the Russian engine in the J10C with an indigenous engine. Such a development could significantly enhance Tejas' desirability.

 

[White and Green with M/S]

Had the Kaveri engine been prepared by now, Tejas could have been one of the highest-selling fighter jets globally. Equipping Tejas with an indigenous engine would have transformed it into a fully sanction-free, advanced fighter jet, offering an alternative to Western jets. However, there's still potential for India to develop an engine for Tejas within the next decade, akin to how China replaced the Russian engine in the J10C with an indigenous engine. Such a development could significantly enhance Tejas' desirability.

Tejas has too much foreign contents in it can't be exported successfully, and you need to fill your orders first than think for export

 

[Chandragupt Maurya]

Tejas has too much foreign contents in it can't be exported successfully, and you need to fill your orders first than think for export

Almost everything in Tejas that is of British, Israeli, or American origin can be substituted with either Indian or Russian components. The engine is the only component that can solely be replaced with an Indian-made engine, as India has been working on the Kaveri engine for the past three decades. It might not be feasible to request Russia to develop a new engine for Tejas within a decade, India possesses the requisite expertise and understanding of the shortcomings of the Kaveri engine.