After the recent crash of a MiG-21 Bison fighter jet in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has grounded its entire fleet of MiG-21 fighter aircraft. The Indian Air Force said that the planes will be grounded till the cause behind the crash in Rajasthan is investigated and investigated. The MiG-21 is India’s oldest operational fighter jet with a questionable safety record. The fighter is also known as ‘Flying Coffin’ and ‘Widow Maker’ for hundreds of accidents in the last 5 decades. Senior defense officials told ANI, “Till the time the investigation is completed and the cause of the accident is known, the MiG-21 fleet has been grounded.”
More Indian Air Force pilots have been killed in MiG-21 crashes in India than any other fighter jets. Recently, on May 8, a MiG-21 Bison aircraft from Suratgarh airbase crashed over Hanumangarh, killing three civilians. After this incident, the Indian Air Force has decided to ground all the jets. The IAF had earlier decided to phase out the MiG-21 soon.
The fighter jet that crashed over Rajasthan was on a routine training flight when it crashed. The pilot received minor injuries, following which an inquiry has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
He said that only three MiG-21 squadrons are operational in the IAF and all of them will be phased out by early 2025. MiG-21 aircraft variants began to be inducted into the Indian Air Force over five decades.
The IAF has 31 fighter aircraft squadrons which include three MiG-21 Bison variants. The MIG-21 was inducted into the IAF in the 1960s and 800 variants of the fighter are in service. The accident rate of the MiG-21 has been a cause of concern in recent times as many of them have been involved in accidents.
The IAF is also looking to induct indigenous aircraft including the LCA Mark 1A and LCA Mark 2 along with the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.