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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
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The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name "Fishbed") is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed and built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the famous Russian stringed musical instrument or olówek by Polish pilots due to the shape of its fuselage. Early versions are considered second-generation jet fighters, while later versions are considered to be third-generation jet fighters.
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Encyclopedia
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name "Fishbed") is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed and built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the famous Russian stringed musical instrument or olówek by Polish pilots due to the shape of its fuselage. Early versions are considered second-generation jet fighters, while later versions are considered to be third-generation jet fighters. Some 50 countries over four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations a half-century after its maiden flight. The fighter has the distinction of holding a number of aviation records, including 1) most produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history, 2) most produced combat aircraft since the Korean War, and 3) longest production run of a combat aircraft. It has been estimated that more than 10,000 MiG-21s were built.
Development
The MiG 21 jet fighter was a continuation of Soviet jet fighters, starting with the subsonic MiG-15, MiG-17, and the supersonic MiG-19. A number of experimental Mach 2 Soviet designs were based on nose intakes with either swept-back wings, such as the Sukhoi Su-7, or tailed deltas, of which the MiG-21 would be the most successful.
The E-5 prototype of the MiG-21 was first flown in 1955 and made its first public appearance during the Soviet Aviation Day display at Moscow's Tushino Airport in June 1956. The first delta-wing prototype, named Ye-4 (or E-4) flew on 14 June 1956, and the production MiG-21 entered service in early 1959. Employing a delta configuration, the MiG-21 was the first successful Soviet aircraft combining fighter and interceptor characteristics in a single aircraft. It was a lightweight fighter, achieving Mach 2 with a relatively low-powered afterburning turbojet, and is thus comparable to the American F-104 Starfighter and French Dassault Mirage III.
When the MiG-21 was first introduced, it exhibited several flaws. Its early version air-to-air missiles, the Vympel K-13 (NATO reporting name AA-2 'Atoll'), were not successful in combat, and its gyro gunsight was easily thrown off in high-speed maneuvers, making the initial version of the MiG-21 an ineffective aircraft. These problems were remedied, and during the Middle Eastern and Vietnam wars, the MiG-21 proved to be an effective aircraft. Subsequent MiG-21 models added design modifications to incorporate lessons learned in these wars.
Like many aircraft designed as interceptors, the MiG-21 had a short range. This was not helped by a design defect where the center of gravity shifted rearwards once two-thirds of the fuel had been used. This had the effect of making the plane uncontrollable, resulting in an endurance of only 45 minutes in clean condition. The delta wing, while excellent for a fast-climbing interceptor, meant any form of turning combat led to a rapid loss of speed. However, the light loading of the aircraft could mean that, at 50% fuel and with two Atolls, a climb rate of 58,000 ft (17,670 m) per minute was possible, not far short of the performance of the later F-16A. Given a skilled pilot and capable missiles, it could give a good account of itself against contemporary fighters. It was replaced by the newer variable-geometry MiG-23 and MiG-27 for ground support duties. However, not until the MiG-29 would the Soviet Union ultimately replace the MiG-21 as a maneuvering dogfighter to counter new American air superiority types.
The MiG-21 was exported widely and continues to be used well past the time where it might have been considered obsolete. The aircraft's simple controls, engine, weapons, and avionics were typical of Soviet-era military designs. While technologically inferior to the more advanced fighters it often faced, low production and maintenance costs made it a favorite of nations buying Eastern Bloc military hardware.
Due to the lack of available information, early details of the MiG-21 were often confused with those of the similar Sukhoi fighters also under development. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1960-1961 describes the "Fishbed" as a Sukhoi design, and uses an illustration of the Su-9 'Fishpot'.
Production
A total of 10,158 (some sources say 10,645) were built in the USSR. They were produced in three factories, in the GAZ 30 in Moscow (also known as Znamiya Truda), in GAZ 21 in Gorky and in GAZ 31 in Tbilisi. The type of "MiG" manufactured differed. Gorky built single-seaters for the Soviet forces. Moscow built single-seaters for export and Tbilisi manufactured the twin-seaters both for export and for the USSR. However, there are exceptions. The MiG-21R and MiG-21bis for export and for the USSR were built in Gorky, 17 single-seaters were built in Tbilisi (probably MiG-21F), the MiG-21MF was first built in Moscow and then Gorky, and the MiG-21U was built in Moscow as well as in Tbilisi. The count for each factory is:
- 5,278(or 5,765) in Gorky
- 3,203 in Moscow
- 1,677 in Tbilisi
Technical description
The MiG-21 is a single-engined jet fighter aircraft capable of supersonic flight.
Wing
The MiG-21 has a delta wing. The sweep angle on the leading edge is 57° with a TsAGI S-12 airfoil. The angle of incidence is 0° while the dihedral angle is -2°. On the trailing edge there are ailerons with an area of 1.18 m˛, and flaps with an area of 1.87 m˛. In front of the ailerons there are small wing fences.
Fuselage
A semi-monocoque with an elliptical profile with a maximum width of 1.24m. The air flow to the engine is regulated by a cone in the air intake. Up until the MiG-21PF it is three staged. On speeds up to M=1.5 it is fully retracted, between speeds of M=1.5 and M=1.9 it is in the middle position, and with speeds higher than M=1.9 it is in the maximum forward position. However, on the MiG-21PF it adapts to the actual speed, according to the UVD-2M system aboard the aircraft, which monitors the pressure in front and behind the compressor of the engine. On both side of the nose there are gills to supply the engine with more air while on the ground and during takeoff. In the first variant of the MiG-21, the pitot tube is on the bottom of the nose; after the MiG-21P, every version of the -21 has this tube situated on the top of the air intake. The cabin is pressurized and air conditioned. The canopy up until the MiG-21PFM opens on a hinge on the front of the canopy. When ejecting, the SK-1 ejection seat connects with the canopy making a capsule to enclose the pilot and protect him from the airflow, after which it would separate and the pilot would parachute down.
However, the canopy took too long to separate and some pilots were killed after ejecting at low altitudes. On the MiG-21PFM the canopy opens on a hinge on the right side of the cockpit. On the belly of the plane there are three air brakes, two at the front and one at the back. The front brakes have an area of 0.76 m˛, and a deflection angle of 35°. The back one has an area of 0.46 m˛ and a deflection angle of 40°. The usage of the back air brake is blocked if the plane carries an external fuel tank. Behind the air brakes are the bays for the main landing gear. Under the body, just behind the trailing edge of the wing, two JATO rockets can be attached. The front part of the fuselage ends with former #28. Beginning with former #28a is the back part of the fuselage, which is removable for engine maintenance.
Empennage
The empennage of the MiG-21 consists of a vertical stabilizer, a stabilator and a small fin on the bottom of the tail to improve yaw control. The vertical stabilizer has a sweep angle of 60° and an area of 5.32 m˛ (on earlier version 3.8 m˛) and a rudder. The stabilator has sweep angle of 57°, an area of 3.94 m˛ and a span of 2.6m.
Landing Gear
A tricycle type undercarriage with a nose gear. The main landing gear has tires 800 mm in diameter and 600 mm in width (till the MiG-21P 660x200). The wheels of the main landing gear retract in the fuselage after rotating 87°, the shock absorbers retract in the wing. The nose gear retracts forward in the fuselage under the radar. The wheel base is 4.71 m, the track width is 2.69 m.
Engines
The MiG-21 engine was produced in several variants.
* = limited (3-minute) "extra-power" reheat at altitudes 4000m (13,120 ft) or less.
Armaments
The following table shows the possible ordnance loads of various models of the MiG-21. In the pylons column, the number listed is per individual pylon.
Operational history
Vietnam
The MiG-21 initially achieved renown in the Vietnam War, during which it saw frequent action. It was one of the most advanced aircraft at the time; however, many North Vietnamese aces preferred flying the MiG-17, since the high wing loading on the MiG-21 made it less maneuverable than the MiG-17. Although the MiG-21 lacked the long-range radar, missiles, and heavy bombing payload of its contemporary multi-mission U.S. fighters, it proved a challenging adversary in the hands of experienced pilots especially when used in high speed hit and run attacks under GCI control. MiG-21 intercepts of F-105 strike groups were effective in downing US aircraft or forcing them to jettison their bomb loads.
By the bombing halt in Operation Rolling Thunder in 1968, poor air-to-air combat loss-exchange ratios against smaller, more agile enemy MiGs during the early part of the Vietnam War eventually led the USAF to establish Dissimilar Air Combat Training programs such as Navy "Top Gun", these two programs employed subsonic A-4 Skyhawk and F-5 Tiger II aircraft to mimic the performance of more maneuverable opponents like the MiG-17 and MiG-21.
A VPAF MiG-21MF flown by Ph?m Tuân over Hanoi, North Vietnam on December 26, 1972 was apparently responsible for the only claimed air combat kill of a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress in history. The B-52 had been circling above Hanoi during Operation Linebacker II. Over the course of the Vietnam War, between April 26, 1965 and January 8, 1973, each side claimed favorable kill ratios.
Year-by-Year Kill Claims involving MiG-21s
- 1966: US claimed 6 MiG-21s destroyed; Vietnam claimed 7 F-4s and 11 F-105s killed by MiG-21s.
- 1967: US claimed 21 MiG-21s destroyed; Vietnam claimed 17 F-105s, 11 F-4s, 2 RF-101s, one A-4, one F-8, one EB-66 and three unidentified types killed by MiG-21s.
- 1968: US claimed 9 MiG-21s destroyed; Vietnam claimed 17 US aircraft killed by MiG-21s.
- 1969: US destroyed 3 MiG-21s; one Firebee UAV killed by a MiG-21.
- 1970: US destroyed 2 MiG-21s; Vietnam claimed one F-4 and one HH-53 killed by MiG-21s.
- 1972: US claimed 51 MiG-21s destroyed; Vietnam claimed 53 US aircraft killed by MiG-21s, including one B-52. Soviet General Fesenko recorded 34 MiG-21s lost out of 51 Vietnamese losses during the year.
US sources often cite lower numbers admitted to be lost in air-to-air combat, often because pilots seemed to feel that being brought down by a SAM was less "embarrassing" than losing in a dogfight.
Middle East
The MiG-21 was also used extensively in the Middle East conflicts of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s by the air forces of Egypt, Syria and Iraq against Israel. The MiG-21 first faced Israeli Mirage IIICs on April 7th, 1967 when six Syrian MiG-21s were shot down by the Israeli Mirages. The MiG-21 would face F-4 Phantom IIs and A-4 Skyhawks later in the 1970s, but was later outclassed by the more modern F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon, which were acquired by Israel beginning in the 1980s. The MiG-21 was also used in the early stages of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December, 1979.
During the Six Day War, the Israelis attacked in three waves on the first day. In the first wave, IDF aircraft destroyed 8 Egyptian aircraft in air-to-air combat, of which seven were MiG-21s; in return, the Egyptians destroyed ten Israeli aircraft - four or five of these kills were scored by MiG-21PFs. During the second wave the Israelis destroyed 4 MiG-21s in air-to-air combat, and the third wave saw the destruction of two Syrian and one Iraqi MiG-21s. All told, the Egyptians lost around 100 of about 110 MiG-21s, most on the ground; the Syrians lost 35 of 60 MiG-21F-13s and MiG-21PFs in the air and on the ground.
Between the end of the Six Day War and the start of the War of Attrition, IDF Mirage fighters had six confirmed kills of Egyptian MiG-21s, in exchange for Egyptian MiG-21s scoring two confirmed and three probable kills against Israeli aircraft. During the War of Attrition itself, the Israelis scored 56 confirmed kills against Egyptian MiG-21s, while Egyptian MiG-21s scored 14 confirmed and 12 probable kills against IDF aircraft. During this same time period, from the end of the Six Day War to the end of the War of Attrition, the Israelis claimed a total of 25 Syrian MiG-21s destroyed; the Syrians scored three confirmed and four probable kills of Israel aircraft. . On 22 June 1970, a Soviet pilot flying an Egyptian MiG-21MF killed an Israeli A-4. 30 July was a fruitful day for Israeli pilots. Asher Smir, flying a Mirage IIICJ, destroyed an Egyptian MiG-21MF flown by a Soviet pilot; Avihu Ben-Nun and Avie Stella, both piloting F-4Es, each killed an Egyptian MiG-21MF, and an unidentified pilot in another Mirage scored a fourth kill against the Soviet-flown MiG-21s. However, during the 1970 combats, Soviet-piloted Egyptian MiG-21s destroyed a total of 21 Israeli aircraft, while taking very few losses of their own; this helped to convince the Israelis to bring the war to an end.
In September 1973 a large air battle erupted between the Syrians and the Israelis; the Israelis claimed a total of 12 Syrian MiG-21s destroyed, while the Syrians claimed 8 kills scored by MiG-21s and admitted 5 losses; historians now estimate three Israeli and 12 Syrian losses.
During the Yom Kippur War, in the "Air Battle of el-Mansoura" Egypt, Israel launched a large scale raid with over 100 aircraft – F-4 Phantoms and A-4 Skyhawks – attempting to hit the huge air base at el-Mansourah. It culminated in an almost continuous dogfight lasting no less than 53 minutes. According to Egyptian estimates over 180 aircraft were involved at one time, the majority belonging to the Israelis. At 10pm local time Cairo Radio broadcast “Communiqué Number 39”, announcing that there had been several air battles that day over a number of Egyptian airfields, that most intensive being over the northern Delta area. It also claimed that 15 enemy aircraft had been downed by Egyptian fighters for the loss of three Egyptian aircraft, while an even greater number of Israelis had been shot down by the Army and the Air Defense Forces over Sinai and the Suez Canal. For its part, Israel Radio claimed, early the following morning, that the IAF had shot down 15 Egyptian aircraft, a figure subsequently reduced to seven.
. Following a more detailed analysis after the war had ended, the EAF actually increased its original claims and now asserts that the results of the el-Mansourah air battle were as follows: 17 Israeli aircraft confirmed shot down for the loss of six MiGs. Of the EAF aircraft lost, three were shot down by the enemy, two crashed because they ran out of fuel before their pilots could return to base and a third blew up after flying through the debris of an exploding Phantom which it had just shot down. On the Egyptian front, the Israelis claimed a total of 73 confirmed kills of Egyptian MiG-21s, against 27 confirmed kills of Israeli aircraft by Egyptian MiG-21s, plus 8 probables.
. On the Syrian front of the war, 6 October 1973 saw a flight of Syrian MiG-21MFs kill an IDF A-4 and a Mirage IIICJ while losing three of their number to Israeli IAI Neshers. On 7 October, Syrian MiG-21MFs killed two Israeli F-4Es, three Mirage IIICJs and an A-4 while losing twoof their number to Neshers and one to an F-4E, plus two to friendly SAM fire. Iraqi MiG-21PFs also operated on this front, and on that same day killed two A-4Es while losing one MiG-21. On 8 October 1973 Syrian MiG-21PFMs killed three F-4Es, but six of the MiG-21s were lost. By the end of the war, Syrian MiG-21s accounted for a total of 30 confirmed kills against Israeli aircraft; 29 MiG-21s were destroyed by the IDF.
Egypt would eventually be shipped some American Sidewinder missiles, and these were fitted to their MiG-21s and successfully used in combat against Libyan MiG-23s during the brief 1977 war.
Between the end of the War of Attrition and 6 June 1982, the Israelis had received modern F-15s and F-16s, which were far superior to the older Syrian MiG-21MFs. These new planes accounted for the destruction of 24 Syrian MiG-21s over this time period, though the Syrians did manage to kill five IDF aircraft with their MiG-21s armed with outdated K-13 missiles.
The 1982 Lebanon War started on 6 June 1982, and in the course of that war the IDF destroyed about 45 Syrian MiG-21MFs. The Syrians claimed two confirmed and 15 probable kills of Israeli aircraft.
India
The Indian Air Force has been one of the largest users of the MiG-21 since its initial employment of the plane in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. That war witnessed the first supersonic air combat in the subcontinent when an Indian MiG-21 shot down a PAF F-104 Starfighter., thereafter it shot down 3 more F-104 starfighers & one MIG-19 before the war ended It was also used as late as 1999 in the Kargil War. One MiG-21 was also shot down by Pakistani surface-to-air missiles during the short war. The MiG-21's last known kill took place in 1999 during the Atlantique Incident when two MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force shot down a Breguet Atlantique reconnaissance aircraft of the Pakistani Navy, which was flying well into Indian air space.
- Accidentally shot down his squadronmate!
Former Yugoslavia
As Yugoslavia had drastically improved relations with the Soviet Union during the 60s, in September 1962 Yugoslav Air Force received first MiG-21F-13 fighters (in Yugoslav military designated as L-12). In the period from 1962 to the early 80s Yugoslavia had bought about 216 MiG-21 aircraft in 9 variants - MiG-21F-13 Fishbed-C (L-12), MiG-21U-400 and U-600 Mongol-A (L-12 and NL-12M), MiG-21PFM Fishbed-F (L-14), MiG21US Mongol-B (NL-14), MiG-21R Fishbed-H (L-14i), MiG-21M Fishbed-J (L-15), MiG-21MF Fishbed-J (L-15M), MiG-21UM Mongol-B (NL-16) and MiG-21bis Fishbed-N and Fishbed-L (L-17 and L-17K). From 1964 to 1992 about 80 aircraft had been lost in accidents. Yugoslav Air force units that operated MiG-21 were 204th fighter-aviation regiment at Batajnica Air Base (126th, 127th and 128th fighter-aviation squadrons), 117th fighter-aviation regiment at Željava Air Base (124th and 125th fighter-aviation squadron and 352nd recon squadron), 83rd fighter-aviation regiment at Slatina Air Base (123rd and 130th fighter aviation squadron), 185th fighter-bomber-aviation squadron (129th fighter-aviation squadron) at Pula and 129th training center at Batajnica air base.
During the early stages of the 1991-1995 Yugoslav wars the Yugoslav People's Army used MiG-21s in a ground-attack role, while Croatian and Slovenian forces did not have air forces at the beginning of the war. Aircraft from air bases in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were relocated to air bases in Serbia, so MiG-21s left Željava and Pula air bases. Detailed records show at least seven MiGs were shot down by AA defenses in Croatia and Bosnia. A MiG-21 piloted by Emir Šišic shot down a EU helicopter that had entered Croatian aerospace with full knowledge of the Yugoslav flight control.
Croatia acquired three MiG-21s in 1992 through defections by Croatian pilots serving with the JNA, two of which were lost in subsequent actions - one to Serbian air defenses, the other in a friendly fire accident. In 1993, Croatia purchased about 40 MiG-21s in violation of arms embargo, but only about 20 of these entered service, while the rest were used for spare parts. Croatia used them alongside the sole remaining defector for ground attack missions in operations Flash (during which one was lost) and Storm. The only air to air action for Croatian MiGs was an attempt by two of them to intercept J-22 Oraos of Republika Srpska Air Force on ground attack mission on 7th of August 1995. After some maneuvering both sides disengaged without having fired a single bullet.
All the Yugoslav MiG-21s which have evacuated to Serbia after 1992 have continued their service in the "new" FR Yugoslav Air Force. During the 1999 NATO attack on FRY, Yugoslav Air Force lost 33 MiG-21s on the ground.
Africa
During the Cold War MiG-21s were supplied to many sub-Saharan African nations by the Soviets. Their most notable use in combat occurred during the Angolan Civil War in the hands of the People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola. Cuban Air Force pilots also flew MiG-21s over Angola during the War. Both Angolan and Cuban MiG-21s often had encounters with South African Air Force Mirages. On 6 November 1981, Maj. Johann Rankin in a Mirage F.1CZ scored the SAAF's first kill since the Korean War, downing the MiG-21MF of Lt. Danacio Valdez. On 5 October 1982 an SAAF Mirage 5CZ damaged a MiG-21MF with cannon fire, but the MiG managed to return to base safely.
During the Ogaden War of 1977-78, American-supplied Ethiopian F-5Es flown by Israeli pilots met Somalian MiG-21MFs in combat several times; in one lopsided incident, two F-5As engaged four MiG-21MFs, destroying two; the Israeli pilots then watched with amazement as the two remaining MiG-21s collided into each other. Ironically, Ethiopia also received MiG-21s which were initially flown by Cuban pilots. Ethiopian F-5s flew several simulated dogfights against the top Cuban pilots flying the MiG-21s without any losses. The Somalis lost ten MiG-21s to Ethiopian F-5As; in return, Somali MiG-21s destroyed four Ethiopian MiG-21MFs, one Canberra bomber and three DC-3s.
Ethiopia has had a number of armed actions against Eritrea following the latter's independence from the former; both countries have received advanced fighters, the Ethiopians getting Su-27 fighters from Russia, while the Eritreans received MiG-29s from the Ukraine. On 26 February 1999, an Eritrean MiG-29UB destroyed an Ethopian MiG-21bis and a MiG-21MF one after the other, but the MiG-29 was then pounced on by an Eritrean Su-27 flown by Capt. Aster Tolossa, whose kill of the Eritrean fighter marked the first air-to-air kill scored by a woman in a jet fighter.
. On 18 May 2000 another Eritrean MiG-29 scored another victory against the Ethiopians, killing one MiG-21 and damaging another, before getting shot down in turn by another Ethiopian Su-27.
Romania
Beginning in 1993, Russia did not offer spare parts for the MiG-23 and MiG-29 for the Romanian Air Force. Initially, this was the context for the modernization of the Romanian MiG-21's with Elbit systems, and because it was easier for the Romanians to maintain these fighter jets. 110 MiG-21's were modernized under the LanceR designation. Today, only 48 LanceRs are operational for the RoAF. It can use both Western and Eastern armament such as the R-60M, R-73, Magic 2, or Python III missiles. They will be replaced in 2012 when new fighter jets will arrive, such as the F-16, F/A-18, Eurofighter Typhoon or Gripen.
Variants
(All information in this section adapted from "MiG-21" by Yefim Gordon & Keith Dexter, ISBN 978 1 85780 257 3.)
Generation Zero (1954-1956)
- The original developmental prototypes and concepts, to the first (pre)production aircraft. (Major variants: Ye-1, Ye-2, Ye-2A/MiG-23, Ye-4, Ye-50, Ye-50A/MiG-23U, Ye-5, MiG-21).
Generation One (1957-1961)
- Initial mass-produced versions and further refinements and experiments. (Major variants: Ye-6, Ye-50P, MiG-21F, Ye-6T, MiG-21P-13, MiG-21F-13, Ye-6V).
Generation Two (1961-1966)
- Further developments led to more advanced versions as dedicated interceptors which underwent near-constant refinements; a dedicated reconnaissance version (with interceptor capability) and a nuclear-strike variant were also developed. (Major variants: MiG-21PF/FL, Ye-7SPS, MiG-21PFS, Ye-7M, MiG-21PFM, Ye-7R, MiG-21R, Ye-7S, MiG-21S, MiG-21N, MiG-21PD).
Generation Three (1968-1972)
- Development of the MiG-21 kept constantly moving with the times, from the MiG-21M to the ultimate variant, the MiG-21bis produced into the 1980s. (Major variants: MiG-21M, MiG-21I, MiG-21K, MiG-21Sh, MiG-21SM, MiG-21MF, MiG-21DF, MiG-21SMF, MiG-21MT, MiG-21SMT, MiG-21ST, MiG-21bis).
Trainer Variants (1960-1968+)
- Trainer variants of the MiG-21 started being developed in 1960, and continued until the final design in 1968, which was manufactured for many years afterwards. (Major variants: Ye-6U, MiG-21U, MiG-21US, MiG-21UM).
Notes to table:
* ADF = Automatic direction finder; an asterisk by the name means there is no DME module present.
** = An asterisk by the name indicates a rangefinding-only unit.
Upgrade Programs
MiG-21-93
- Russia now offers an upgrade package to bring late-model MiG-21s up to the
MiG-21-93 standard. This package provides an upgrade of the avionics suite that includes installation of the Kopyo pulse-doppler radar used by the MiG-29, which enables the aircraft to fire a greater range of modern weapons such as the beyond-visual-range Vympel R-77 air-to-air missile. The upgraded avionics also enhance the aircraft's survivability as well as its ability to engage enemy fighters. Other upgrade features include installation of a dual-screen HUD, helmet-mounted target designator, and advanced flight control systems.
MiG-21-2000
- Single-seat 21st century version for export buyers. Made by Israel Aerospace Industries.
MiG-21 LanceR :Upgraded version for the Romanian Air Force done by Elbit of Israel and Aerostar SA of Romania. The LanceR-A version is optimized for ground attack being able to deliver precision guided munitions of eastern and western origin as well as R-60, R-73 and Python III air to air missiles. The LanceR-B version is the trainer version and the LanceR-C version is the air superiority version featuring 2 LCD MFDs, helmet mounted sight and the Elta EL/M-2032 Air combat radar.
MiG-21 Bison
- Upgraded version for export and Indian Air Force is the first customer. Armed with Phazotron Kopyo (Spear) airborne radar, which is capable of simultaneously tracking 8 targets and engage 2 of the 8 target tracked with semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile such as Vympel R-27. The radar also enable to fighter to deploy active radar homing air-to-air missile such as Vympel R-77 when additional channel is incorporated. Russian advertise has claimed that this version is equivalent to early F-16. It performed well against F-15 and F-16s of the USAF during Indo-US joint air exercises. In simulated air combat maneuvering the 'Bison' variants managed to win almost all of the mock engagements.
MiG-21-97
- MiG-21-93 upgrade. MiG-21-93 re-engined with Klimov RD-33 engine. Russians have claimed that the evaluation at Ramenskoye Airport had shown that this version had beaten simulated F-16 in mocked dogfight with a score of 4:1.
Foreign-built variants
China (PRC)
Chinese-built variants of the MiG-21 are designated Chengdu J-7 and F-7 (for export). Only the initial version of the J-7 was a copy of a MiG-21 variant, namely the MiG-21F-13. Though an agreement had been reached between China and the USSR for licence production of the MiG-21 in China, political relations soured between the two countries, causing Soviet assistance to stop. This forced the Chinese to reverse-engineer parts of the handful of MiG-21F-13s supplied from the USSR, in order to make up for blueprints and documentation that had not yet been shipped over from the USSR at the time of the political rift. All subsequent development of the J-7 was indigenous to China and different from Soviet-made versions.
Czechoslovakia:
Between 1962 and 1972 the MiG-21F-13 version was manufactured under license by Aero Vodochody, in Czechoslovakia. Aero Vodochody (then Stredoceské strojírny, n.p.), built a total of 194 planes during this period, under the cover designation article Z-159. It followed the MiG-15 and MiG-19S built in Vodochody factory from the fifties to sixties. The sole locally-built version of the MiG-21F-13 differed externally from the Soviet-built examples by the solid dural sheet fairing behind the cockpit canopy, as opposed to the transparent one on the original Soviet MiGs. These machines were built for the Czechoslovak Air Force and also for export. The R13-300 engines were imported from the Soviet Union.
India:
The production of the MiG-21s in India under license by Hindustan Aeronautics in Nasik started with the MiG-21FL in 1966 in four phases starting with the assembly of CKD kits, moving on to subassemblies, parts, and finally advancing to production from scratch. 205 MiG-21FLs, designated Type 77 and nicknamed Trishul ("Trident), were built in India between 1966 and 1972; the first one built entirely from Indian-made components was delivered to the IAF on 19 October 1970, with the first Indian-made R11F2S-300 powerplant leaving the assembly line on 2 January 1969. In 1971 HAL production was switched to an improved version of the MiG-21M (izdeliye 96), which was designated Type 88 by HAL; as this variant was produced exclusively in India, no izdeliye designation is applicable. The first Type 88 MiG-21M was delivered to the IAF on 14 February 1973 and the last on 12 November 1981, with a total of 158 built. The last variant to be produced by HAL was the MiG-21bis. 75 were built in 1977 from CKD kits, and a further 220 were built from scratch by 1984. Despite a series of crashes during the 1990s, which led to the aircraft acquiring the nickname "flying coffin," the Indian Air Force has decided to upgrade about 125 of the MiG-21bis in its inventory to the MiG-21 "Bison" standard. These will serve the Indian Air Force until 2025.
Operators
Current operators
This list does not include operators of Chinese copies / licensed manufactured versions known as the Chengdu J-7.
Former operators
(Passed on to Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.)
(Passed on to Germany on reunification.)
(Passed on to successor states.)
(Passed on to FR Yugoslavia)
(Passed on to Serbia)
Civil operators
Some aircraft are now owned and flown by private collectors as warbirds. There are even importers in the U.S. that purchase MiG-21s, MiG-15s and MiG-17s from Russia and other states and sell them to civilians for around $45,000.
Specifications (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13)
Specifications (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM)
Specifications (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis)
Specifications (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21-93)
See also
Bibliography
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15: The Soviet Union's Long-Lived Korean War Fighter. Hinckley: Midland, 2001. ISBN 1-85780-105-9. Gordon, Yefim. Mikoyan MiG-21 (Famous Russian aircraft). Hinckley: Midland, 2007. ISBN 1857802578. Toperczer, István. MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War (Osprey combat aircraft, 29). Oxford: Osprey Pub, 2001. ISBN 1841762636.
External links
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