Quote:
Originally Posted by DRG
Dec 2015 MAY have been a partial retirement of older airframes as this retirement only involved 2 squadrons.
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From googling around:
1.) it appears that from 2017 to 2024, four MiG-21 squadrons were phased out.
2.) The original MiG-21FL (Type 77) was retired in December 2013 while the remaining MiG-21Ms (Type 88) "were scheduled" to be retired by 2015.
Googling EVEN further and compiling everything from multiple sources gets this rough list of Indian MiG-21 variants:
MiG-21F-13 (Type 74) -- 8 delivered, served from October 1963 to ??. Had NR-30 cannon with 80 rounds.
MiG-21PF (Type 76) - 6 delivered. No gun; relied entirely on missiles.
MiG-21FL (Type 77) -- Designed by MiG in the Soviet Union to Indian requirements, first 54 built in USSR, last 196 in India. Introduced GP-9 gunpod with GSh-23 cannon and 200 rounds, which displaced the 490-litre drop tank, cutting endurance. Typically, only six to eight squadron aircraft flew “gun-fitted,” while the rest carried drop tanks. In service 1965 - December 2013.
MiG-21M (Type 88). Redesign of MiG-21FL to carry GSh-23L internally with 200 rounds as well as an actual purpose built gyroscopic sight. 158 built in India, served 1973-2015.
MiG-21MF (Type 96) - Indian built MiG-21M fitted with more powerful engine. May have retired around 2015. NOT the same as MiG-21MF (izdeliye 96) built in USSR. Crazy, i know right.
MiG-21 Bis (Type 75) Internal GSh-23L with 250 rounds. First 75 delivered in 1977 as kits from USSR; by 1984, 220~ more built in India. Unknown when the last pure Bis was retired; but likely between 2017-2024.
MiG 21 Bison - 120~ remanufactured MiG-21 Bis with modern avonics, etc. Internal GSh-23L with 250 rds. Last two squadrons retired Sep 26, 2025.