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Defence Notes |
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Air Force defends MiG-21s, to fly till 2016
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has defended its ageing MiG-21 fleet, plagued in recent years by a string of crashes, and said the jets would continue to fly till 2016.
Air Marshal P.S. Ahluwalia, the IAF’s Director General (Inspection and Safety), said a comprehensive flight safety programme had helped reduce the number of MiG-21 crashes by 62 percent since 2000-01.
The Russian-designed MiG-21 jets have been involved in some 170 accidents since 1963 and came under a cloud following a sudden spurt in crashes since 2000.
But Ahluwalia noted the rate for “Category-I” accidents — in which losses are over 50 percent of the cost of the aircraft — had been brought down from a high of 3.72 for every 10,000 flying hours in 2002-03 to 1.07 in 2004-05.
“The MiG-21s form 47 percent of the total strength of the IAF and 50 percent of all our flying is done on them. The last squadrons of MiG-21s will be flying till at least 2016,” he told a news conference.
The MiG-21s, he pointed out, would be upgraded with improved avionics, electronic warfare systems, navigational aids and weapons that could strike targets located beyond visual range.
“They are very capable aircraft and have plenty of residual life,” Ahluwalia said, noting that a total of 125 MiG-21s were currently being refurbished to extend their life.
The upgrade of 75 jets had already been completed.
Several programmes had been implemented with the help of Russian manufacturers and defence scientists to remove defects found in the MiG-21, including in the fuel pumps and crucial valves.
Ahluwalia said the IAF never held a pilot killed in an accident as “blameworthy” even if the crash was caused by a human error, noting such mistakes could be caused by circumstances, environmental factors, weather or stress.
“There is high risk and stress in military aviation and minimal incentives,” he said. “It is prudent on the part of the IAF to be benevolent. We are not in the blame game.”
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