Frequent Crashes, Obsolete Technology: Downhill Road For MiG-21, India's 'Flying Coffin' - News18
A Russian designed supersonic jet fighter, the MiG-21 is what Maruti Suzuki is to Indian automobile industry. But the jets, well past their retirement age, have been the most accident-prone of all IAF fighter jets.
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Frequent Crashes, Obsolete Technology: Downhill Road For MiG-21, India's 'Flying Coffin'
A MIG-21 jet of the Indian Air Force crashed in Shoba Sar Ki Dhani area in Rajasthan's Bikaner district on Friday afternoon. Although the pilot managed to eject safely, the crash has once again led to concerns over the condition of the fighter jets that are well past their expiry date.
The incident comes just a few days after a MiG-21 Bison jet flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was shot down by a Pakistani Air Force F-16 in an aerial dogfight that ensued after they intruded into Indian territory in J&K.
The jet flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan was part of the fleet that is past its retirement age and has been kept operational with repeated upgrades and service life extensions.
Failures due to old system components increase with ageing of aircrafts. However, as system components have a longer life potential than the life of a certified aircraft, service life extension programmes are carried out to maximise the use of the equipment.
