By now, most of us have heard that fighting has erupted between India and Pakistan near the embattled Kashmir region. What is surprising is that the Indian Air Force employed aircraft that are decades old, famous for last seeing combat in the 60s and 70s during the Vietnam War.
According to sources, India has steadily been upgrading its fleet of 110 MiG 21 fighters, so that it no longer resembles the MiG 21 of old. The MiG 21 “Bison”, as it is now called, was radically upgraded in 2006, and have been equipped with powerful multi-mode radar, better avionics and communications systems. The pilots have even been given helmet-mounted sights capable of providing all-aspect acquisition and targeting of enemy aircraft. That said, it is now plausible that an upgraded MiG 21 could have indeed shot down a Pakistani F-16 in air-to-air combat, which, on the surface, is infinitely more capable than the MiG 21. For more information on the engagement and background information on the MiG 21 “Bison”, we recommend you visit NDTV.
Update: Indian military authorities, responding to questions regarding the employment of the MiG 21 in this week’s engagement between the Indian and Pakistani Air Force, have cited the need to press the MiG 21s into service despite their age. Earlier that day a pair of Indian Air Force MiG 29s were rotated off of combat air patrol along the contested border to rest the pilots as well as refuel the aircraft. As a result, the MiG 21s were used to temporarily spell the MiG 29s but were nevertheless caught up in the ensuing conflict.