The Indian air force bid farewell to the Russian made MIG-27 ground attack aircraft that, according to it, played a pivotal role in helping India retake control of land allegedly occupied by Pakistani backed Kashmiri Rebels.
The Indian Hero of Kargil The MIG-27 Takes to the Sky One Last Time
After serving the Indian air force for nearly four decades as its leading ground attack aircraft MIG-27 was retired in a farewell ceremony held at Air Force Station, Jodhpur.
Presently the Number 29 Squadron is the only IAF unit flying the MIG-27 aircraft.
Unlike other aircrafts that were present as a deterrent, the Russian built MIG-27 participated in pivotal operation during the Kargil war. Its operation effectiveness earned it the nickname Bhadur. The upgraded swing-wing aircraft is an upgraded variant of the MIG-23 which is optimized for air to ground attack roles.
Finally, They Come To Their Senses
Unlike Pakistan, who indulged in procuring advanced multi-role attack aircrafts from the United States, India continues to rely on old fleet of Russian aircrafts. The fact that India’s fighter aircrafts are outdated reflected well in IAF’s defeat at the hands of the Pakistani Air force on the 27th of Feb 2019; a day when an air skirmish resulted in the IAF losing one aircraft and getting one of its pilots captured. Only then Indian government reportedly approved the procurement of the new Saab Griffins.
India and Pakistan since their creation have been at each other’s throats. They both have invested substantial percentage of their GDP in the development and maintenance of their armed forces. Despite having numerical and technological superiority, India has never managed to fend itself against Pakistan properly.
Experts Opinion
According to defence experts, the Indian air force has failed to upgrade itself to meet the need of the modern era. A vast majority of its air crafts are either outdated with no replacement in sight or are quickly approaching the retirement date.
Already Indian pilots have lost their lives due to flying outdated planes like the MIG-27, which has been dubbed as the “Flying Coffin” by some pilots due to its high rate of crashes. Pakistan, on the other hand, though slowly gradually paced itself to meet the requirement of the time and established itself as one of the best air forces.
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