Frequent MiG-21 crashes: India to phase out entire fleet by 2025

IN the wake of the recent crashes involving its combat aircraft belonging to the Soviet era, The Indian Air Force (IAF) is now set to retire one more squadron of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft by September 30.

On Thursday (28), a MiG-21 Type 69 Trainer aircraft crashed in Barmer in the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan, killing both the pilots, including a young flight lieutenant.

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Following the disaster involving the fighter jet which is called the "flying coffin" and "widow maker" for its high frequency of crashes, sources in the IAF told Asian News International, "The 51 Squadron based out of Srinagar air base is being number plated on September 30. After this, only three squadrons of the planes would be left in service and would be phased out by the year 2025."

They said from every year now, one squadron each of the fighter jet, which was inducted in the IAF in the early 1960s and is called outdated, would be number plated.

The 51 Squadron is famous for thwarting Pakistan's aerial attack on February in February 2019 and taking out the much advanced F-16 in an aircraft which was flown by Abhinandan Varthaman, then a wing commander and now group captain.

The IAF has been replacing the MiG-21 fighter jets with the more capable Su-30, which is also developed by Russia, and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft.

The last 20 months saw as many as six MiG-21 jets crashing, resulting in deaths of five pilots.

The MiG-21s were supposed to be retired a long time ago but delays in induction of the LCA Tejas aircraft forced the IAF to continue with them.