The curtains are about to fall on the illustrious journey of the Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 fighter jets, as the aircraft prepares for its last ceremonial flight in Chandigarh on Friday. This marks the end of an era for the iconic supersonic jet that has been the backbone of India’s air defence for decades.
The iconic jets will be replaced by the indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A.
The farewell event will take place at the Chandigarh Air Force Station, where six MiG-21 aircraft from the IAF’s last operational squadron, the Panthers, are scheduled to participate in a formation flight. The ceremony is being organised to honour the jet’s remarkable service history, which spans over six decades of active deployment.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will preside over the farewell ceremony as the chief guest. The programme will feature a spectacular performance by the Indian Air Force’s renowned skydiving team, Akash Ganga, that will take a leap from an altitude of 8,000 feet. Their act will be followed by a grand flypast of the MiG-21 fleet, complemented by the synchronised display of the Air Warrior Drill Team and an aerial salute.
According to reports, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, will personally pilot the final sortie of the squadron. He is expected to take to the skies with the call sign ‘Badal 3’, symbolising the aircraft’s final bow in Indian skies. The six aircraft from No. 23 Squadron will receive a traditional water cannon salute on their return to the runway.
Inducted into the IAF in 1963, the MiG-21 was the country’s first supersonic fighter jet, which saw a lot of action during the 1971 war against Pakistan. Giving a befitting symbolic farewell to the iconic fighter jet, Air Chief Marshal Singh engaged it in its last operational flight undertaken from the Nal based Air Force Station, near Bikaner, Rajasthan.
While speaking about the Russian-origin fighter jet, the IAF Chief had called it “the IAF’s workhorse.” Sharing his experience with the jet, he said, “My first experience with MiG-21 was in 1985, when I flew the Type-77 variant at Tezpur. It was a revelation — agile, highly maneuverable, and simple in design, though it required some initial training. It’s an amazing aircraft to fly. It will be missed by all who flew it.”