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Ahead of its final farewell on September 26, IAF will hold a full dress rehearsal on Wednesday, bringing the spotlight back on an aircraft that shaped India’s air combat history
The MiG-21 has a storied combat record, having flown in almost every war and conflict involving India since 1965. File pic/PTI
The iconic MiG-21, India’s first supersonic fighter jet and the backbone of the Indian Air Force for over six decades, is on the verge of retirement. Ahead of its final farewell on the 26th of this month, the IAF will hold a full dress rehearsal on Wednesday, bringing the spotlight back on an aircraft that shaped India’s air combat history. The final event will take place in Chandigarh, where the first squadron of the aircraft was based.
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The send-off will be marked by a ceremonial flypast, led fittingly by the Chief of Air Staff himself. In a rare gesture, the Air Chief will take to the skies in a MiG-21, leading the formation as the jet prepares for its last bow. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh is one of many officers who have been trained on this aircraft. Earlier in August, Air Chief Marshal Singh also took a sortie in the aircraft at Nal.
The final day of the ceremony will feature this flypast before the commanding officer formally hands over the F-700 logbook, symbolising the end of an era, as the indigenous LCA Tejas takes its place. Several formations and sorties have been planned for the final day, where veterans, including former chiefs and pilots who have flown the aircraft in their careers, will be present. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also attend the event.
Most Celebrated Aircraft of Indian Air Force
Nicknamed Badal by its pilots, the MiG-21 was inducted in 1963 and went on to become the most numerous fighter in the IAF’s inventory. Over 874 aircraft entered service, across six variants: T-66, T-77, T-69, T-96, T-75 and the modernised Bison. Today, the oldest surviving MiG-21 Bison in the fleet, aircraft CU-2788, still flies as a reminder of the type’s long innings.
Its first squadron, No. 28 Squadron, famously called the First Supersonics, was based in Chandigarh. Currently, two units- No. 3 Squadron (Cobras) and No. 23 Squadron (Panthers) operate the type, keeping its legacy alive till the very end.
The MiG-21 has a storied combat record, having flown in almost every war and conflict involving India since 1965. In 2019, it registered its most talked-about engagement in recent years. This was the time when a MiG-21 Bison shot down a Pakistani F-16, its last recorded kill. It was flown by the infamous Wing Commander, now Group Captain, Abhinandan Varthaman.
But the jet has also carried a darker reputation. By the 1990s and 2000s, after a string of crashes that claimed the lives of many young pilots, the aircraft earned the unwelcome moniker Flying Coffin in public and media discourse. Even so, successive upgrades and pilot training kept it relevant for decades longer than originally intended.
What After Retirement?
Once phased out, all worthy aircraft will be distributed to training establishments, educational institutions and museums under IAF policy, ensuring that the MiG-21’s story is preserved.
The farewell will be as symbolic as it is emotional. The MiG-21 was the jet that gave India supersonic wings, fought its wars, and became a household name. Its departure marks not just the end of an aircraft’s service but the closing of a defining chapter in the IAF’s history.
About the Author
Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experience coverin…Read More
Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experience coverin… Read More
September 24, 2025, 10:50 IST
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