Another MiG-21 crash for the Indian Air Force

There have been nine MiG-21 Bison crashes for the Indian Air Force in the last 3 years, six of those crashes have been in the last 20 months. One in 2022, five in 2021 and three in 2019. Five pilots have lost their lives in these crashes.

• 28th July 2022 Unknown Circumstances
• 24th Dec 2021 Mid Air Fire
• 25th Aug 2021 Unknown Circumstances
• 21st May 2021 Unknown Circumstances
• 17th Mar 2021 Unknown Circumstances
• 05th Jan 2021 Technical Malfunction
• 25th Sept 2019 Unknown Circumstances
• 08th Mar 2019 Bird Strike
• 27th Feb 2019 Shot Down

The latest, A MiG-21 Bison, crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan, on Thursday night killing the two pilots aboard the trainer version of the fighter aircraft.  

As per information released by the IAF, this was a trainer version of the fighter aircraft with two pilots on board. As is the norm for training missions, there was one senior pilot, Wing Commander M Rana, on board along with a junior pilot, Flight Lieutenant Adivitya Bal. 

The reasons behind the crash are still not known and a Court of Inquiry will look into it. 

In the past, Technical Defects, Human Error (Aircrew) and bird strikes have been causes of some of the fighter aircraft accidents in IAF. Spatial disorientation during night sorties too can happen, but IAF pilots are trained to overcome such disorientations.

How many MiG-21 Bison aircraft are in IAF?

There are four squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft currently in service in the IAF with each squadron comprising 16-18 aircraft, including two trainer versions. Out of these one squadron, Srinagar-based No 51 Squadron, is going to be retired from service or ‘number plated’ in IAF jargon on September 30 this year, leaving three squadrons in service. Out of these three squadrons, one will be number plated each year and, thus, MiG-21 Bison will be phased out of IAF by 2025. The IAF is looking towards reviving these squadrons back into service with the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.