Watch | IAF chief flies last sortie in outgoing MiG-21 jets at Chandigarh base
The aircraft, crucial in multiple conflicts, were celebrated with aerial displays as the Indian Air Force bid farewell to their storied service.
The Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets (Mikoyan-Gurevich) which have been the backbone of Indian Air Force's combat fleet for over six decades took their farewell flight in Indian skies on Friday at the Chandigarh Air Force Station.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew the last sortie of the squadron with the call sign ‘Badal 3’.
A ceremony, which was attended by union defence minister Rajnath Singh, former IAF chiefs SP Tyagi and BS Dhanoa and IAF group captain Shubhanshu Shukla, marked the culmination of operations of the MiG-21 supersonic fighter jets whose induction in the early 1960s catapulted the force into the jet age.
A spectacular display by IAF's elite skydiving team ‘Akash Ganga’ bedazzled the Chandigarh sky today as the jets descended from a height of 8,000 feet with a majestic flypast of MiG-21 aircraft accompanied by precision of the air warrior drill team and an aerial salute.
The fighter pilots flew the MiG-21 jets in the three-aircraft Badal formation and the four-aircraft Panther formation, thundering over the skies for one final time.
{{/usCountry}}The fighter pilots flew the MiG-21 jets in the three-aircraft Badal formation and the four-aircraft Panther formation, thundering over the skies for one final time.
{{/usCountry}}The Surya Kiran aerobatic team also enthralled the audience with their breathtaking maneuvers.
{{/usCountry}}The Surya Kiran aerobatic team also enthralled the audience with their breathtaking maneuvers.
{{/usCountry}}In a recent post on X, about the retiring Mig-21s, the IAF said, "Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pride of a nation into the skies".
The MiG-21 fighter jets also received a water gun salute as they decommission after 63 years in service.
Looking back
The iconic aircraft was first inducted into the force more than six decades ago.
The MiG-21 fighter jets used to be the mainstay of the IAF for a long period of time. After its first induction, the IAF procured over 870 MiG-21s to boost its overall combat prowess.
The supersonic jets were the dominant platforms during 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
The aircraft also played a key role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
However, the IAF's workhorse the MiG-21s were also involved in multiple crashes in the last six decades, with spotlight many times being on the safety record of the ageing fleet of Soviet-origin aircraft, the PTI report read.
(With inputs from PTI)
