Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 27
Hundreds of serving and retired Indian Air Force pilots today bid emotional farewell to “Cold war” era fighter jet MiG-27, which India procured from the Soviet Union in 1985.
A formation of MiG-27 flew for the last time in India at Jodhpur this morning. The IAF’s 29 Squadron known as the “Scorpios” flew in a five aircraft “Arrowhead” formation flanked by Sukhoi 30-MKI aircraft as a mark of respect.
After the phase-out
- The IAF will be left with 31 squadrons and there will be no immediate replacement at Jodhpur
- The Air Force will raise a squadron of Sukhoi 30 at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu
India operated about 165 MiG-27 planes and these saw frontline combat during the Kargil war in 1999. Before the Kargil conflict, fighter jets had not been used at such altitudes—15,000 feet or more. The IAF was tasked to bomb the Pakistani army-occupied locations at altitudes ranging between 15,000 and 18,000 feet.
No country and no air force had used any fighter jet to drop armament at such altitudes. It was unique. It meant pilots in MiG-27, MiG-21 and Mirage-2000 jets were flying at 30,000 feet to hit targets that were around 12,000 feet away.iG-27 jets had a unique capability to swing their wings from 16° to 72°, depending on the mission. This allowed the plane to fly at variable speeds.