NEW DELHI: The air force operates more than 50 MiG-21 Bison aircraft, the latest and last variant of the MiG-21.
The crash in Hanumangarh in which three women were killed put the spotlight on the troubling safety record of India’s longest-serving fighter plane once again and forced the air force to ground the entire fleet. It is not uncommon for an aircraft fleet to be grounded for inspection after an unexplained crash or incident.
The air force operates three squadrons of the MiG-21 Bison. The squadrons have resumed flying, with the fighter jets being cleared for operations in batches, said one of the officials, who asked not to be named.
The IAF is set to retire these squadrons by 2025. The MiG-21 Bis (an upgraded MiG-21 variant flown for the first time in 1976) was further upgraded to MiG-21 Bison in India in 2000.
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