8 months ago
3
A ceremonial for the culmination of operations of Russian-origin MiG-21, whose induction successful the aboriginal 1960s catapulted the unit into the pitchy age, was underway astatine the Chandigarh Air Force Station successful Chandigarh connected Friday (September 26, 2025).
Six decades aft they were inducted into the force, the Indian Air Force's (IAF) workhorse are being accorded a farewell astatine a mega lawsuit successful Chandigarh.
The iconic craft was archetypal inducted into the unit present much than six decades ago.
The past of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to fig 23 Squadron, nicknamed "Panthers" are being fixed a farewell astatine the decommissioning ceremonial astatine the Chandigarh Air Force station.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh volition alert the past sortie of the Squadron with the telephone motion 'Badal 3'.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was contiguous connected the juncture present too erstwhile IAF chiefs S. P. Tyagi and B. S. Dhanoa. IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was besides present.
VIDEO | MiG 21 Farewell: Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flies the past sortie of the Squadron with the telephone motion 'Badal 3'.
The past of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to fig 23 Squadron, nicknamed "Panthers" are being fixed a farewell astatine the decommissioning ceremonial astatine the… pic.twitter.com/TvlIkDLs7A
There volition beryllium a spectacular show by IAF's elite skydiving squad 'Akash Ganga', who volition skydive from a tallness of 8,000 feet. This volition beryllium succeeded by majestic flypast of MiG-21 craft accompanied by precision of the aerial warrior drill squad and an aerial salute.
The combatant pilots volition beryllium flying MiG-21s successful the three-aircraft Badal enactment and the four-aircraft Panther enactment volition thunder implicit the skies 1 last time.
The Surya Kiran aerobatic squad volition besides enthral the assemblage with their breath-taking manoeuvres.
In a caller station connected X, astir the retiring Mig-21s, the IAF said, "Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pridefulness of a federation into the skies".
The MiG-21 combatant jets utilized to beryllium the mainstay of the IAF for a agelong play of time. After its archetypal induction, the IAF procured implicit 870 MiG-21s to boost its wide combat prowess.
The supersonic jets were the ascendant platforms during 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
The craft besides played a cardinal relation successful the 1999 Kargil struggle arsenic good arsenic 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
However, the IAF's workhorse the MiG-21s were besides progressive successful aggregate crashes successful the past six decades, with spotlight galore times being connected the information grounds of the ageing fleet of Soviet-origin aircraft.
