Despite Safety Concerns, MiG-21 Bison to Remain in Service Beyond 2025 Due to Tejas Mk1A Production Delays

The Indian Air Force (IAF) finds itself in a challenging position, forced to extend the service life of its aging MiG-21 Bison fighter jets beyond their planned retirement date of December 2025. This decision comes as a result of delays in the induction of the indigenously developed Tejas Mk1A, which was intended to replace the MiG-21s.

The IAF had envisioned establishing its first Tejas Mk1A squadron by July 2024 at Nal Air Force Base in Rajasthan. However, production setbacks, primarily caused by delays in engine supply, have hindered Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) ability to meet this timeline.

The MiG-21 Bison, despite undergoing various upgrades, has long exceeded its intended service life. While it boasts a storied combat history, participating in numerous conflicts and even shooting down a Pakistani F-16 in the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, it has also garnered the grim nickname "flying coffin" due to a high number of accidents and pilot casualties.

The Tejas Mk1A, with its advanced AESA radar, enhanced electronic warfare systems, and greater weapons-carrying capacity, represents a significant technological leap over the MiG-21. However, until its production and induction catch up to the planned schedule, the IAF has no choice but to continue operating the MiG-21 Bison, despite the inherent safety concerns.

This situation underscores the challenges faced by the IAF in modernizing its fighter fleet. Operating below its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons, the IAF urgently needs new fighter jets to maintain operational readiness. The continued reliance on the MiG-21 Bison highlights the critical need to accelerate the production and delivery of indigenous platforms like the Tejas Mk1A.

HAL is actively working to resolve supply chain issues and increase production rates. In the meantime, the IAF is committed to ensuring the MiG-21 Bison fleet remains mission-capable. The extension of the MiG-21 Bison's service life, while a necessary stopgap measure, serves as a stark reminder of the importance of timely execution of indigenous defence programs to ensure the IAF's long-term capabilities and the safety of its pilots.

 

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[sanket]

GE should shift its vendors/suply chain from South Korea to Bharat, another 97 Tejas MK1A order is waiting to b placed soon & GE needs to Ramp-up production to over 26 to 30 Engines per year

 

[bonito]

Retain fly coffin. My deep sympathies to martyrs IAF pilots and to the living pilots who die without a war for no fault of them. The policy makers should be ashamed of policy paralysis and county men for voting them to power. I am sorry commardes.

 

[Sridhar]

Retain fly coffin. My deep sympathies to martyrs IAF pilots and to the living pilots who die without a war for no fault of them. The policy makers should be ashamed of policy paralysis and county men for voting them to power. I am sorry commardes.

Are the policy makers tasked with manufacturing fighter jets? There are certain limits when it comes to reining in DPSU employees. If you apply pressure, you can expect a big fallout which will have political backlash.
Alternate is to encourage pvt players to contribute to Indian defence industry.
US doesn't have any Govt manufacturing industry.

 

[Mango_Indian]

Why are we not ordering 5-6 squadrons of fighter aircraft from a foreign vendor? One, we have a depleted fighter squadron strength and two, our domestic fighter production rate is 4/year in a good year. When we can buy 2 heavily modified fully imported B-777 worth INR 11,000 crores for only PM/President travel, money is not an issue for India and neither is importing.

The security of the country cannot be held hostage by HAL reservation grade employees or GE issues?

 

[M S ChatterjiVerified member]

Nothing wrong in retaining MIGs a few months longer. These MIGs are highly upgraded fighter equal to anything the enemy has.

 

[Kira]

GE should shift its vendors/suply chain from South Korea to Bharat, another 97 Tejas MK1A order is waiting to b placed soon & GE needs to Ramp-up production to over 26 to 30 Engines per year

I believe only a certain part of the overall supply chain for the F-404 will be in Korea,so finding the replacement is not that simple as GE too would have been looking for alternatives lest it affects their own reputation at large.Also,I think both HAL and GE at looking establishing production of the F-414 in the country rather than F-404 itself.

 

[RAMACHANDRA RAO PAPARAJU]

These mig 21s should be converted into UAVs

 

[obiwankenubi jedi]

It will be the same story when we will be ready to retire the Jaguar, Mig 29, and Mirage 2000 as we wait for Tejas mk2 and TEDBF

and again it will be the case of history repeating itself when we will be ready to replace Su30MKI with AMCA.

it's very obvious too why this will happen and who will cause this, it's as planned and intended that the Tejas mk1a is delayed and Mig 21s will be retained even upto 2030

Unless we buy MRFA, and more Rafales/Eurofighter and even F-35 or F15, we will not get the GE F404, F414 and Scnem M-88 engine

and this is not just the west or OEM playing us, it's our own people who will gain from this and are forcing this scenario

 

[Anant]

The MoD needs to get off their behinds about MRFA and green-light the damned thing. Without the AoN, nothing can happen.

 

[Anant]

Nothing wrong in retaining MIGs a few months longer. These MIGs are highly upgraded fighter equal to anything the enemy has.

Sir, most of those airframes are pretty much at the end of their lives, and the service attrition rate has been truly horrific. Unfortunately, a few extra months of service may also mean a crash or two.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

These mig 21s should be converted into UAVs

Yes, they could be used as UAV decoy planes, as done by some countries.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

Nothing wrong in retaining MIGs a few months longer. These MIGs are highly upgraded fighter equal to anything the enemy has.

Not enough hardpoints for modern long range missiles. It's aams can reach max 30-40km, well inside standoff range of adversaries.

 

[Sandeep]

These planes should only be used as a last resort because they are very old if we need to keep them in service for another year.

At the same time we should just convert the Tejas MK1 jets into MK1A as they already have the engines. Also we could just remove the engines from the MK1 jets and install it on the MK1A jets that get manufactured. So there’s a number of options that HAL can take which can improve our squadron strength.

 

[M S ChatterjiVerified member]

Not enough hardpoints for modern long range missiles. It's aams can reach max 30-40km, well inside standoff range of adversaries.

No long range missiles to be integrated on a fighter which is to be retired in 9 to 12 months.

 

[M S ChatterjiVerified member]

Sir, most of those airframes are pretty much at the end of their lives, and the service attrition rate has been truly horrific. Unfortunately, a few extra months of service may also mean a crash or two.

Fly them occasionally and that too for 9 to 12 months.

 

[Anant]

Fly them occasionally and that too for 9 to 12 months.

Sir, that is a good idea, but that is also something already being done. The last two squadrons are operational from the perspective of being available when needed, and don't fly often.

 

[Abs29]

Fly them occasionally and that too for 9 to 12 months.

They already fly extremely occasionally, and mind you, when they do indeed fly "occasionally" on sorties, most of the time they often experience snags and seldom, resulting in a spectacular swan dive to the ground which may even deliver, prematurely and permanently, a retired pilot.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

No long range missiles to be integrated on a fighter which is to be retired in 9 to 12 months.

If retiring in 9-12 months, then use the valuable time of pilots to train them on new aircraft simulators and new battle tactics and how to handle swarm drones while flying future aircraft. No need to fly the old aircraft.