New Delhi: After serving for more than six decades and participating in all major conflicts, the MIG-21 fighter jet is set to retire from the Indian Air Force, a formal farewell prescribed for September.The final MIG-21 jet, belonging to number 23 squadron, known as panthers, will retire during a ceremony at Chandigarh Airbase on 19 September. The aircraft surpassed a mixed heritage, once the first supersonic jets of India gave a strategic lead in the 1960s and the 70s, later married to persistent accidents, which had a ‘flying coffin’ surname.With the retirement of Squadron 23, the Indian Air Force’s fighter strength will fall to just 29 squadron, the lowest since the 1960s. Even during the 1965 war, IAF maintained 32 fighter squadron.In 1963, the MIG-21 fighter jets have served the Air Force for 62 years in various versions. He played an important role in the 1965 war with Pakistan, 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, 1999 Kargil Sangharsh and 2019 Balkot airstrikes. Even during the ongoing operation vermilion, the final active MiG -21 is on the squadron operation alert.“No other fighter has been associated with IAF for a long time as MiG-21-an incredible two-thirds of IAF’s 93-year history is unwavering with this jet. It has been served in every comat action since 1965, through OP Sindoor, anything, which is anything that is a few. It was said by ET.Sources quoted by ET said that the ceremony will include senior Air Force officers and veterans who have been associated with the MiG -21 fleet for years. On this occasion, flypt and static displays will be included to celebrate the occasion.Apart from holding records for the longest service in the Indian Air Force, the MiG -21 fleet was also the largest operated by the country. India acquired more than 850 MiG -21 aircraft including the trainer variants, with around 600 Hindustan built domestic by Aeronautics Limited (HAL).Although the operational life of MiG -21 was considered for a long time, the Air Force continued to expand the service of the fleet due to the delay in receiving enough modern fighter jets. The remaining squadron was originally replaced by indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA MK1A), but repeated delay in delivery has pushed the infection back.With input from Manu Pabbi
