Chandigarh: The Indian Air Force's (IAF's) legendary MiG-21 was decommissioned on Friday, September 26. The decommissioning ceremony was held in Chandigarh. It was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan and other senior IAF officials.
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh flew the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign 'Badal 3'. Notably, three aircraft flew in the Badal formation and four in Panther formation. Squadron Leader Priya Sharma also flew alongside Air Chief Marshal Singh.
IAF's elite skydiving team 'Akash Ganga' performed a spectacular display during the decommissioning ceremony. The team members of 'Akash Ganga' skydived from a height of 8,000 feet.
Full Decommissioning Ceremony:
The skydiving was succeeded by by majestic flypast of MiG-21 aircraft accompanied by precision of the air warrior drill team and an aerial salute. The Surya Kiran aerobatic team also enthralled the audience with their breathtaking maneuvers.
Former IAF chiefs S P Tyagi and B S Dhanoa. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS), was also present at the ceremony.
MiG-21's Legacy:
These aircraft were the first supersonic jets acquired by India. The MiG-21 serve din the IAF for over six decades. The MiG-21 fighter jets used to be the mainstay of the IAF for a long period of time as they played a significant role in India's defences in the 1960s and 70s.
The aircraft also played a key role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
However, later, they were being called the 'Flying Coffin' due to rising incidents of crashes.
LCA Tejas Mk-1A To Replace MiG-21:
With the MiG-21’s retirement, the IAF’s fighter strength will reportedly decrease to 29 squadrons. The sanctioned limit of the IAF squadrons is 42.
The gap will be filled by the Mk-1A, the most advanced variant of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. On Thursday, the Ministry of Defence inked a landmark Rs 62,370-crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to procure 97 Tejas Mk1A light combat aircraft (LCA) for the IAF. The airctaft will feature 64 per cent indigenous content and integrate new systems such as the Uttam AESA radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach electronic warfare suite, and advanced actuators.
