How Are The MiG-21 Fighter Jets Being Phased Out?

Relevance: GS3 - Defense Technology

(Source: The Hindu, 11/08/2023)

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Why in the news?

• Recently, the Indian Air Force has been phasing out the MiG-21 fighter jet squadron with the phase-out expected to be completed by 2025.
• The legacy jets will be replaced by the LCA Mark-1A manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

What is the MiG-21?

• The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft that was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union.
• It is a single-engine, single-seater multi-role fighter/ground attack aircraft.
• The MiG-21 has been used by around 60 countries on four continents.
• Russia stopped producing the aircraft in 1985, while India continued operating the upgraded variants as it possessed full technology transfer and rights to license-build the aircraft in the country.

What role did the MiG-21 play?

• India has procured over 700 MiG-21 aircraft of different variants such as the Type-77, Type-96 and the BIS.
• The MiG-21 was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 1963 and became the frontline fighter jet of the IAF.
• It was the first supersonic fighter introduced in the IAF’s service.
  • The No.4 squadron has served the country for around six decades and has significantly contributed to the Indo-Pak wars.
• Since then, more than 800 variants of the supersonic fighter jet have been inducted into service and used in major conflicts.
  • For instance, the No.4 squadron has served the country for approximately six decades and has significantly contributed to the war effort during Indo-Pak conflicts.
• The IAF has operated 24 fighter squadrons and four training units equipped with the MiG-21 with an average tenure of 33 years.
• Six squadrons of MiG-21FLs participated in operations in both the Eastern and Western Sectors during the 1971 War of Bangladesh.
• In the 1999 Kargil conflict, the MiG-21 was used in night operations.

Phasing out of the MiG-21

• According to Air Chief Marshal, Vivek Ram Chaudhary, India will stop flying the MiG-21 fighter aircraft by 2025 and replace it with the MiG-21 squadron with the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk1A.
• In 2022, the No. 51 squadron ‘Swordarms’ based in Srinagar which participated in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike was phased out.
  • It was raised in 1985 and initially equipped with MiG-21 Type 75 aircraft before being upgraded to the MiG-21 Bison in 2004.

Reasons for the replacement

• Fleet modernization: The IAF aims to phase out the MiG-21 as part of its modernization drive.
  • In 2022, the Union Ministry of Defence sealed a ₹48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the procurement of 83 Tejas fighter aircraft.
  • The IAF is also aiming to procure 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA).
  • India is also working on an ambitious $5 billion project to develop a fifth-generation medium-weight deep penetration fighter jet to significantly bolster its air power capability.
• Accidents: Since 1963, the MiG-21 fleet experienced more than 400 accidents which led to the deaths of around 200 pilots.
  • The high rate of accidents resulted in it being nicknamed the ‘Flying Coffin”.

What is the replacement?

• The IAF has inducted two squadrons of the LCA Tejas and two squadrons of Rafale fighter jets to increase the IAF’s squadron strength to more than 30.
• The LCA-Mk1A will form the bulk of the force as the other jets will take time to be inducted.
• India is looking to procure an additional 97 LCA-Mk1A at an estimated cost of ₹67,000 lakh crore, making a total of 180 Mk1A variants.

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FAQs

MCQs

Question: Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? (UPSC 2005)

(a) Arjun : Indigenously produced Main Battle Tank (MBT)

(b) Phalcon : Cruise missile supplied by Russia to India

(c) Saras : Indigenously developed civilian passenger aircraft.

(d) Operation Seabird: New Indian naval base at Karwar.