Image source: topwar.ru
The Indian Air Force is preparing to say goodbye to the MiG-21 after more than 60 years of service.
- says the IDRW publication.
As indicated, despite the fact that in recent years it has been called a relic of the Cold War, the MiG-21 has repeatedly proved that in the right hands it is capable of much, as evidenced by the battles with Pakistan.
The 1st generation subsonic jet fighter F-86 Sabre, adopted in the late 1940s, was the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force during the wars with India in 1965 and 1971. The MiG-21s then shot down several aircraft of this type, which cemented their reputation as high-speed interceptors capable of effective aerial combat.
During the 1971 war, the MiG-21 also competed with the F-104 Starfighter, an American supersonic interceptor considered advanced in the 1950s and early 1960s. Indian Air Force pilots managed to shoot down several F-104s, despite their advantage in speed and altitude. The victim was the MiG-21 and F-6, the Chinese version of the MiG–19, which was operated by the Pakistan Air Force.
Image source: topwar.ru
In the following years, Islamabad adopted the Mirage III, a French 3rd generation triangular wing fighter. An Indian MiG-21FL collided with one of these aircraft in 1971: it fired two K-13 missiles and soon the enemy disappeared from radar.
As noted, the MiG-21 scored its most impressive victory in February 2019, when squadron commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down an F-16 of the Pakistan Air Force during an intense air battle over Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the technologically unequal battle, the MiG-21 Bison, an upgraded version with better radar, missiles and avionics, was able to deliver a fatal blow with the help of the URVV R-73, after which he was shot down and the pilot captured.
- it says in the Indian press.
According to the author, the MiG-21 retires not just as an aircraft, but as a symbol of perseverance and military valor.
