On July 28, 2022, Indian Air Force saw another of its MiG-21 Bison aircraft going down in Barmer, Rajasthan. Two pilots aboard the trainer version of the fighter aircraft were killed. Indian Air Force has seen the largest mishaps and let us look at the fleet.
MIG 21; PRESENT CRASH
The aircraft that crashed was a trainer trainer version. Wing Commander M Rana and junior pilot Flight Lieutenant Adivitya Bal were killed in the mishap. The reasons behind the crash are still not known and a Court of Inquiry will look into it. In the past, Technical Defects, Human Error (Aircrew) and bird hits have been causes of some of the fighter aircraft accidents in IAF
MIG 21; EARLIER MISHAPS
Since 2021, six fighters have crashed, killing five of the pilots. Over 400 of the 872 MiG-21s inducted since the 1960s have been lost in accidents, killing over 200 pilots and 50 civilians on the ground.
MIG 21; SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS
The squadron, also known as ‘Swordarms’, was part ‘ of ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ during the Kargil conflict in 1999 as well as the operation to repulse Pakistan’s retaliatory action on February 27, 2019, a day after India’s air strike in Balakot inside the neighbouring country.
MIG 21: TO BE GROUNDED
Even before the crash on July 28, the IAF had drawn up a phase-out plan for the around 70 MiG-21 `Bisons’ and trainers still in its combat fleet. The first to be “number-plated” will be the Srinagar-based ’51 Sword Arms’ Squadron in September this year. The other three squadrons at Uttarlai, Suratgarh and Nal in Rajasthan will subsequently be retired over the next three years.
BISONS
This is an upgraded version of the MiG-21bis. The MiG-21 FL, an older version of the aircraft that joined service in the early 1960s was phased out of IAF in 2013. The first upgraded MiG-21 Bison was inducted in 2001 and the last of these upgraded fighters was received in 2008.
‘FLYING COFFIN’
This aircraft that was the backbone backbone of the fleet of fighter aircraft of the IAF had the the highest number of crashes. The high rate of accidents earned the aircraft the nickname of ‘Flying Coffin”.
