{"id":184378,"date":"2025-09-26T19:37:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T14:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/?p=184378"},"modified":"2025-09-26T19:37:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T14:37:57","slug":"indian-air-force-finally-retires-mig-21-jets-infamously-known-as-flying-coffins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/2025\/09\/26\/indian-air-force-finally-retires-mig-21-jets-infamously-known-as-flying-coffins.html","title":{"rendered":"Indian Air Force finally retires MiG-21 jets, infamously known as \u2018flying coffins\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New Delhi: After 62 years of active service, the Indian Air Force has officially retired its Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jets, once regarded as the backbone of India\u2019s aerial defense. A formal farewell ceremony was held today to mark the end of an era.<\/p>\n

According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was the chief guest at the event. The highlight of the ceremony was Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh\u2019s final flight in a MiG-21 Bison, call sign \u2018Cloud 3\u2019.<\/p>\n

The MiG-21\u2019s operational history is marred by a troubling safety record: out of 876 jets procured, 490 have been lost in accidents, claiming the lives of more than 200 Indian pilots and over 60 civilians. This grim legacy earned the aircraft the chilling nickname \u201cFlying Coffin\u201d among the Indian Air Force community.<\/p>\n

The MiG-21 also drew international attention in 2019 during Pakistan Air Force\u2019s Operation Swift Retort, when Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman\u2019s MiG-21 was shot down in Pakistani airspace, sparking a high-profile aerial confrontation.<\/p>\n

Throughout its service life, the MiG-21 was used in several key military operations, including Operation Sindoor, the Kargil War, the Balakot airstrikes, as well as the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Delhi: After 62 years of active service, the Indian Air Force has officially retired its Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jets, once regarded as the backbone of India\u2019s aerial defense. A formal farewell ceremony was held today to mark the end of an era. According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":184379,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-184378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t