It has happened yet again. In the last 20 months, 6 MiG-21s have been lost in crashes in which five fighter pilots have lost their lives. Once formed the backbone of the IAF fleet, the MiG-21 is a Soviet-era single-engine multirole fighter ground attack aircraft has virtually become a “flying coffin”. Two pilots who lost their lives in MiG-21 fighter aircraft crash in Barmer, Rajasthan is the latest casualty related to MIG-21 Bison aircraft.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after the crash on Thursday tweeted “Deeply anguished by the loss of two Air Warriors due to an accident of IAF’s Mig-21 trainer aircraft near Barmer in Rajasthan. Their service to the nation will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness.”
These comments have been coming as a routine from all Defence Ministers after any MiG crashes. What is required is action and not words. The fleet seems to have lost its “life” and new aircrafts need to be inducted for our brave air warriors. Even more surprising is that many of these accidents are taking place in the Western Sector, particularly Rajasthan.
Not too long ago, on December 24, 2021 another MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the Indian state of Rajasthan. That was the fifth crash involving the Bison in 2021. From 1971 to April 2012, as many as 482 MiG aircraft have met with accidents, killing 171 pilots, 39 civilians, eight service personnel, and one aircrew, the Indian government had told parliament in May 2012. This figure is of a deep concern not only for those who are using the flying machine but also for their family members and country as a whole.
According to reports by Vietnam Defence, Vietnam has converted its retired MiG-21s into combat drones. The Soviet-made aircraft that form the backbone of the Indian and Vietnamese air fleet have been certainly involved in several of accidents. The MiG jet in particular has become known as the “flying coffin” in India due to extremely high accident rates.
In fact, Vietnamese Air Force retired its MiG-21s back in 2010. So far, research has been carried out on how to have the drone (MiG-21) land automatically, Viet Defence reported in social media. However, the MiG-21 remains the one of most-produced aircraft ever, which is still in active service by a number of nations since its first flight in 1955. The jet made many records upon its introduction and was one of the top-most interceptors for the Soviet Air Force, and is still for India in the form of MiG 21 Bisons. However, converting such an old aircraft into a combat drone could pose an enormous challenge compared to developing a new one altogether, as these airframes lack the modern electronic avionics and systems.
Developed nation like the United States of America, too, has tinkered with their F-16s to make unmanned variants of them and were quite successful. In 2010, the US Air Force began converting F-16s to QF-16s (Q standing for drone), a move which had surprised the world during that period. Obviously there are precedence and India too can either do this or can completely ground the “flying coffin” for the safety of its trained pilots.
With multiple crashes involving its vintage Russian combat aircraft fleet MiG-21 fighter jets, media reported on Friday that the Indian Air Force is now going to retire one more squadron of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft by September 30 this year. Although this decision is welcomed but it is too little and too late as all such moves are made only after there are crashes and lives lost. It is now time to take tough decisions and keep our fighter pilots safe.
