Adieus Mig 21, Slayer of F 16

Retired Finnish MiG-21bis on top of Verkkokauppa store in Helsinki (Tyynenmerenkatu 11)

India and Indian Air Force has finally retired the legendary MiG 21 on 25 September 2025 after over 63 years of glorious service. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, as part of farewell ceremonies visited No. 23 Squadron “Panthers”, the last squadron or operational unit flying the Soviet-origin fighter in the nation. The last flight of the jet was conducted at Nal airbase, Rajasthan by current Air Chief Marshal who flew the single seater variant of the MiG 21 Bison, a significantly upgraded and uprated variant of MiG 21 Bis, the last major upgraded variant of the aircraft developed by Soviet Union. One of the MiG-21 sorties ACM Singh flew was in a formation, led by Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, who is among the over the over 20 women fighter pilots in the IAF who are also flu Su30 MKI and Rafales.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nicknames include: "Balalaika", because its planform resembles the stringed musical instrument of the same name; "Ołówek", Polish for "pencil", due to the shape of its fuselage, and "Én Bạc", meaning "silver swallow", in Vietnamese.

Approximately 60 countries across four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations seven decades after its maiden flight. It has set multiple aviation records, becoming the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history, the most-produced combat aircraft since the Korean War and, previously, the longest production run of any combat aircraft.

Development

Origins

The MiG-21 jet fighter was a continuation of Soviet jet fighters, starting with the subsonic MiG-15 and MiG-17, and the supersonic MiG-19. A number of experimental Mach 2 Soviet designs were based on nose intakes with either swept-back wings, such as the Sukhoi Su-7, or tailed deltas, of which the MiG-21 would be the most successful.

Development of what would become the MiG-21 began in the early 1950s when Mikoyan OKB finished a preliminary design study for a prototype designated Ye-1 in 1954. This project was very quickly reworked when it was determined that the planned engine was underpowered; the redesign led to the second prototype, the Ye-2. Both these and other early prototypes featured swept wings. The first prototype with the delta wings found on production variants was the Ye-4. It made its maiden flight on 16 June 1955 and its first public appearance during the Soviet Aviation Day display at Moscow's Tushino airfield in July 1956.

In the West, due to the lack of available information, early details of the MiG-21 often were confused with those of similar Soviet fighters of the era. In one instance, Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1960–1961 listed the "Fishbed" as a Sukhoi design and used an illustration of the Su-9 'Fishpot'.

Design

MiG-21М National People's Army of the GDR, August 1990

The MiG-21 was the first successful Soviet aircraft that combined fighter and interceptor characteristics in a single aircraft. It was a lightweight fighter, achieving Mach 2 with a relatively low-powered afterburning turbojet, and is thus comparable to the American Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter and the French Dassault Mirage III. Its basic layout was used for numerous other Soviet designs; delta-winged aircraft included the Su-9 interceptor and fast Ye-150 prototype from the MiG bureau, while the successful mass-produced frontline fighter Su-7 and Mikoyan's I-75 experimental interceptor combined a similar fuselage shape with swept-back wings. However, the characteristic layout with the shock cone and front air intake did not see widespread use outside the USSR and ultimately proved to have limited development potential, mainly due to the small available space for the radar.

Like many aircraft designed as interceptors, the MiG-21 had a short range. This was exacerbated by the poor placement of the internal fuel tanks ahead of the centre of gravity. As the internal fuel was consumed, the center of gravity would shift rearward beyond acceptable parameters. This had the effect of making the plane statically unstable to the point of being difficult to control, resulting in an endurance of only 45 minutes in clean condition. This can be somewhat countered by carrying fuel in external tanks closer to the center of gravity. The Chinese variants somewhat improved the internal fuel tank layout (as did the second generation of Soviet variants), and also carried significantly larger external fuel tanks to counter this issue. Additionally, when more than half the fuel was used up, violent maneuvers prevented fuel from flowing into the engine, thereby causing it to shut down in flight. This increased the risk of tank implosions (MiG-21 had tanks pressurized with air from the engine's compressor), a problem inherited from the MiG-15, MiG-17 and MiG-19. The short endurance and low fuel capacity of the MiG-21F, PF, PFM, S/SM and M/MF variants—though each had a somewhat greater fuel capacity than its predecessor—led to the development of the MT and SMT variants. These had an increased range of 250 km (155 mi) compared to the MiG-21SM, but at the cost of worsening all other performance figures, such as a lower service ceiling and slower time to altitude.

The delta wing, while excellent for a fast-climbing interceptor, meant any form of turning combat led to a rapid loss of speed. However, the light loading of the aircraft could mean that a climb rate of 235 m/s (46,250 ft/min) was possible with a combat-loaded MiG-21bis, not far short of the performance of the later F-16A. MiG-21's Tumansky R-25 jet engine's specialty was the addition of a second fuel pump in the afterburning stage. Activating the ЧР (rus. "чрезвычайный режим" - emergency mode)(Emergency Power Rating, EPR in India) booster feature allows the engine to develop 97.4 kilonewtons (21,896 lbf) of thrust under 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) of altitude. The rpm of the engine would increase by 2.5% and the compression ratio would thus increase, with a rise in exhaust temperature. The limit of operation is 2 minutes for both practice and actual wartime use, as further use causes the engine to overheat. The fuel consumption increased by 50% over the rate in full afterburner. Use of this temporary power gave the MiG-21bis slightly better than 1:1 thrust-to-weight ratio and a climbing rate of 254 meters/second, equalling the F-16's nominal capabilities in a close-quarters dogfight. The use of WEP thrust was limited to 2 minutes to reduce stress on the engines' 750 (250+250+250) flight hours lifetime since every second of super-afterburner counted as several minutes of regular power run due to extreme thermal stress. With WEP on, the MiG-21bis's R-25 engine produced a huge 10–12 meter long blowtorch exhaust, with six or seven brightly glowing rhomboid "shock diamonds" visible inside the exhaust. The Russians gave the emergency power setting its "diamond regime" name, which was never popularly used in India. Given a skilled pilot and capable missiles, it could give a good account of itself against contemporary fighters. Its G-limits were increased from +7Gs in initial variants to +8.5Gs in the latest variants. It was replaced by the newer variable-geometry MiG-23 and MiG-27, for ground support duties. However, not until the MiG-29 would the Soviet Union ultimately replace the MiG-21 as a maneuvering dogfighter to counter new American air superiority types.

The MiG-21 was exported widely and remains in use. The aircraft's simple controls, engine, weapons, and avionics were typical of Soviet-era military designs. The use of a tail with the delta wing aids stability and control at the extremes of the flight envelope, enhancing safety for lower-skilled pilots; this, in turn, enhanced its marketability in exports to developing countries with limited training programs and restricted pilot pools. While technologically inferior to the more advanced fighters it often faced, low production and maintenance costs made it a favorite of nations buying Eastern Bloc military hardware. Several Russian, Israeli and Romanian firms have begun to offer upgrade packages to MiG-21 operators, designed to bring the aircraft up to a modern standard, with greatly upgraded avionics and armaments.

Production

 

Czechoslovak MiG-21F-13 "Fishbed C"

A total of 10,645 aircraft were built in the USSR. They were produced in three factories: AZ 30[N 1] (3,203 aircraft) in Moscow (also known as MMZ Znamya Truda), GAZ 21 (5,765 aircraft) in Gorky,[N 2] and TAZ 31 (1,678 aircraft) in Tbilisi. Generally, Gorky built single-seaters for the Soviet forces. Moscow constructed single-seaters for export, and Tbilisi manufactured two-seaters both for export and the USSR, though there were exceptions. The MiG-21R and MiG-21bis for export and for the USSR were built in Gorky, 17 single-seaters were built in Tbilisi (MiG-21 and MiG-21F), the MiG-21MF was first constructed in Moscow and then Gorky, and the MiG-21U was built in Moscow as well as in Tbilisi.

Gorky	83 MiG-21F; 513 MiG-21F-13; 525 MiG-21PF; 233 MiG-21PFL; 944 MiG-21PFS/PFM; 448 MiG-21R; 145 MiG-21S/SN; 349 MiG-21SM; 281 MiG-21SMT; 2013 MiG-21bis; 231 MiG-21MF
Moscow	MiG-21U (all export units); MiG-21PF (all export units); MiG-21FL (all units not built by HAL); MiG-21M (all); 15 MiG-21MT (all)
Tbilisi	17 MiG-21 and MiG-21F; 181 MiG-21U izdeliye 66–400 and 66–600 (1962–1966); 347 MiG-21US (1966–1970); 1133 MiG-21UM (1971 to end)

 

A total of 194 MiG-21F-13s were built under licence in Czechoslovakia, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. of India built 657 MiG-21FL, MiG-21M and MiG-21bis (of which 225 were bis).

Cost

Due to the mass production, the aircraft was very cheap: the MiG-21MF, for example, was cheaper than the BMP-1. The F-4 Phantom's cost was several times higher than MiG-21.

Design

Czech Air Force MiG-21MF cockpit upgraded for NATO standards

The MiG-21 has a delta wing. The sweep angle on the leading edge is 57° with a TsAGI S-12 airfoil. The angle of incidence is 0° while the dihedral angle is −2°. On the trailing edge there are ailerons with an area of 1.18 m2, and flaps with an area of 1.87 m2. In front of the ailerons there are small wing fences. The fuselage is semi-monocoque with an elliptical profile and a maximum width of 1.24 m (4 ft 1 in). The air flow to the engine is regulated by an inlet cone in the air intake. On early model MiG-21s, the cone has three positions. For speeds up to Mach 1.5, the cone is fully retracted to the maximum aft position. For speeds between Mach 1.5 and Mach 1.9, the cone moves to the middle position. For speeds higher than Mach 1.9, the cone moves to the maximum forward position.

On the later model MiG-21PF, the intake cone moves to a position based on the actual speed. The cone position for a given speed is calculated by the UVD-2M system using air pressures from in front and behind the compressor of the engine. On both sides of the nose, there are gills to supply the engine with more air while on the ground and during takeoff. In the first variant of the MiG-21, the pitot tube is attached to the bottom of the nose. After the MiG-21P variant, this tube is attached to the top of the air intake. Later versions shifted the pitot tube attachment point 15 degrees to the right, as seen from the cockpit, and had an emergency pitot head on the right side, just ahead of the canopy and below the pilot's eyeline.

MiG-21F-13 cockpit at the Aviation Museum in Bucharest, Romania

The cabin is pressurized and air-conditioned. On variants prior to the MiG-21PFM, the cabin canopy is hinged at the front. When ejecting, the SK-1 ejection seat connects with the canopy to provide a windbreak from the high-speed airflow encountered during high-speed ejections. After ejection, the canopy opens to allow the pilot to parachute to the ground. However, ejecting at low altitudes can cause the canopy to take too long to separate, sometimes resulting in pilot death. The minimum height for ejection in level flight was 110 m. Starting with the MiG-21PFM, a new ejection seat proved to be very reliable and did not need the canopy to protect the pilot which had never been fully satisfactory. The canopy is hinged on the right side of the cockpit.

On the underside of the aircraft, there are three air brakes, two at the front and one at the rear. The front air brakes have an area of 0.76 m2, and a deflection angle of 35°. The rear air brake has an area of 0.47 m2 and a deflection angle of 40°. The rear air brake is blocked if the airplane carries an external fuel tank. Behind the air brakes are the bays for the main landing gear. On the underside of the airplane, just behind the trailing edge of the wing are attachment points for two JATO rockets. The front section of the fuselage ends at former #28. The rear section of the fuselage starts at former #28a and is removable for engine maintenance.

The empennage of the MiG-21 consists of a vertical stabilizer, a stabilator and a small fin on the bottom of the tail to improve yaw control. The vertical stabilizer has a sweep angle of 60° and an area of 5.32 m2 (on earlier version 3.8 m2) and a rudder. The stabilator has a sweep angle of 57°, an area of 3.94 m2 and a span of 2.6 m.

The MiG-21 uses a tricycle-type undercarriage. On most variants, the main landing gear uses tires that are 800 mm in diameter and 200 mm in width. Only the MiG-21F variants use tires with the size 660×200 mm. The wheels of the main landing gear retract into the fuselage after rotating 87° and the shock absorbers retract into the wing. The nose gear retracts forward into the fuselage under the radar. The nose wheel can be lowered manually by simply unlocking its hatch from inside the cockpit. Thus, landing with undercarriage locked in the up position due to an internal failure was not a major issue, with a number of such successful landings on the nosewheel and ventral fuel tank or the airbrake.

India

MiG-21 Bison of the Indian Air Force

India remains to be the largest operator of MiG-21s. In 1961, the Indian Air Force (IAF) opted to purchase the MiG-21 over several other Western competitors. As part of the deal, the Soviet Union offered India full transfer of technology and rights for local assembly. Initially the first batch of Eight pilots trained in Mig-15s and Mig-17s at Lugvoya Air base in Kazakhstan SSR to familiarise themselves with the Russian models from late October 1962 to early January 1963 before transitioning to the Mig-21, which helped form the No.28 Squadron IAF "First Supersonics". In 1963, the MiG-21 became the first supersonic fighter jet to enter service with the IAF. The aircraft participated in every major conflict involving India since 1963.

Due to limited induction numbers and lack of pilot training, the IAF MiG-21 played a limited role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. However, the IAF gained valuable experience while operating the MiG-21 for defensive sorties during the war. The positive feedback from IAF pilots during the 1965 war prompted India to place more orders for the fighter jet and also invest heavily in building the MiG-21's maintenance infrastructure and pilot training programs.

Since 1963, India inducted more than 1,200 MiG-21s into its air force. As of 2024, around 40 MiG-21s are known to be in operation with the IAF. At its peak, IAF operated 400 MiG-21s in 19 squadrons. On 11 December 2013, India's second-generation supersonic jet fighter, MiG-21FL was decommissioned after being in service for 50 years.

In 2022–23, the IAF announced that it would decommission its MiG-21 Bisons and replace them with the indigenously built Tejas fighter jet. The Indian Air Force bid a ceremonial farewell to the MiG-21FL in 2023 during the Air Force Day flypast held at Prayagraj. The event marked the aircraft's final public appearance in IAF colours, symbolising the end of an era for a platform that had served since 1963.

The final official flights of the aircraft was conducted on 18 and 19 August 2025 from the Nal Air Force Station in Bikaner, which is the last airbase operating the last two squadrons of the aircraft. The dates coincided with the shooting of the Bollywood film Love & War, where the jet reportedly plays a pivotal role in the movie's plot. The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh also undertook solo sorties on the aircraft during the time.

While the Indian Air Force officially retires the MiG-21 Bison from active service, an official farewell ceremony is expected to be held at Chandigarh Air Force Station on 19 September 2025. The last of the aircraft are from the 23 Squadron. Having served for 62 years — two-thirds of the Air Force's history — no other aircraft was associated with force longer. Further, with 850 of the aircraft having served the country — with over 600 being license-built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited — the MiG-21 fleet was also numerically the largest in the IAF history.

Safety record

The plane has been plagued by safety problems. Since 1970 more than 170 Indian pilots and 40 civilians have been killed in MiG-21 accidents, thus the unofficial nickname "flying coffin". Over half of the 840 aircraft built between 1966 and 1984 were lost to crashes. At least 14 MiG-21s crashed between 2010 and 2013. Poor maintenance and quality of replacement parts has been considered to be a factor in this phenomenon. When in afterburner, the engine operates very close to its surge line and the ingestion of even a small bird can lead to an engine surge/seizure and flame out.

1971 Indo-Pakistan War

IAF MiG-21 firing its S-5 rockets over East Pakistan, 1971

The expansion of the IAF MiG-21 fleet marked a developing India-Soviet Union military partnership, which enabled India to field a formidable air force to counter Chinese and Pakistani threats. The capabilities of the MiG-21 were put to the test during the Bangladesh Liberation War. During the war, the MiG-21s played a crucial role in giving the IAF air superiority over vital points and areas in the western theater of the conflict.

The 1971 war witnessed the first supersonic air combat in the subcontinent when an Indian MiG-21FL claimed a PAF F-104A Starfighter with its GSh-23 twin-barrelled 23 mm cannon. By the time the hostilities came to an end, the IAF MiG-21FLs had claimed four PAF F-104As, two PAF Shenyang F-6Cs, one PAF North American F-86F Sabre and one PAF Lockheed C-130E Hercules. Only two kills were confirmed (both F-104As). Two more F-104s were critically damaged by MiG-21 fighters. Pakistan decommissioned all F-104s shortly after the end of the war. According to one Western military analyst, the MiG-21FLs had clearly "won" the much anticipated air combat between the MiG-21FL and the F-104A Starfighter.

Because of the performance of India's MiG-21s, several nations, including Iraq, approached India for MiG-21 pilot training. By the early 1970s, more than 120 Iraqi pilots were being trained by the Indian Air Force.

Kargil War

The MiG-21, played a notable yet difficult role in the Kargil War during Operation Safed Sagar. The MiG-21 was pressed into ground-attack duties and combat air patrols when hostilities broke out in the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir. The aircraft flew multiple sorties against fortified Pakistani positions on high ridges, using unguided bombs, rockets, and 23 mm cannons to provide close air support to several Indian Army units. However, operating at altitudes above 16,000 feet proved extremely challenging for the aircraft, as engine thrust and maneuverability were reduced in the thin mountain air, limiting effectiveness.

On 27 May 1999, a MiG-21 was shot down by a Stinger missile in the Batalik sector, leading to the death of its pilot, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, who was reportedly killed by Pakistani troops after ejecting, an incident that generated widespread outrage in India. These losses highlighted the vulnerabilities of older fighters in asymmetric, high-altitude warfare. Despite these setbacks, the MiG-21s contributed significantly to maintaining aerial pressure on enemy positions and securing Indian air superiority during the conflict. This also resulted in the IAF's decision of limiting the aircraft's future responsibility as an interceptor aircraft than a fighter aircraft.

Other clashes

On 10 August 1999, two MiG-21FLs of the Indian Air Force intercepted and shot down a Pakistani Bréguet 1150 Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft with an R-60 missile after it allegedly entered Indian airspace for surveillance, killing all 16 on board.

During the 2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikes, the Pakistan Air Force shot down an Indian MiG-21UPG Bison and captured Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman. India, admits this loss but also claims the the same pilot shot down a Pakistani F-16 in a dogfight. The pilot was later returned to India. Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was awarded the Vir Chakra, one of India’s highest wartime gallantry awards.

Specifications (MiG-21bis)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in) excluding pitot boom
• Wingspan: 7.154 m (23 ft 6 in)
• Height: 4.1 m (13 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 23 m² (250 sq ft)
• Airfoil: root: TsAGI S-12 (4.2%); tip: TsAGI S-12 (5%)
• Gross weight: 8,725 kg (19,235 lb) with two R-3S missiles
• Max takeoff weight: 8,800 kg (19,401 lb) unprepared or metal planking runway

9,800 kg (21,605 lb) paved runway with standard wheels and tyres

10,400 kg (22,928 lb) paved runway with larger wheels and tyres

• Powerplant: 1 × Tumansky R-25-300 afterburning turbojet, 40.18 kN (9,030 lbf) thrust dry, 69.58 kN (15,640 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,175 km/h (1,351 mph, 1,174 kn) / M2.05 at 13,000 m (43,000 ft)

1,300 km/h (810 mph; 700 kn) / M1.06 at sea level

• Landing speed: 250 km/h (160 mph; 130 kn)
• Range: 660 km (410 mi, 360 nmi) clean at 11,000 m (36,000 ft)

604 km (375 mi; 326 nmi) at 11,000 m (36,000 ft) with two R-3S missiles

793 km (493 mi; 428 nmi) at 10,000 m (33,000 ft) with two R-3S missiles and 800 L (210 US gal; 180 imp gal) drop-tank

• Service ceiling: 17,500 m (57,400 ft)
• Time to altitude: 17,000 m (56,000 ft) in 8 minutes 30 seconds
• Thrust/weight: 0.76
• Take-off run: 830 m (2,720 ft)
• Landing run with SPS and brake parachute: 550 m (1,800 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1 × internal 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L autocannon with 200 rounds
• Hardpoints: 5 (4 underwing + 1 ventral, reserved for fuel droptanks), with provisions to carry combinations of:
• Rockets: 4 × S-24 or 4× UB-16-57 rocket pods (4×16 57mm rockets)
• Missiles:  

• Air-to-air missiles:
• K-13, R-55, R-60

• Bombs: 2 × 500 kg (1,100 lb) and 2 × 250 kg bombs