Jodhpur (Rajasthan): The MiG-27, which proved to be an "ace attacker" during the 1999 Kargil War, roared through the skies for the last time on Friday after serving the IAF for over three decades.
The swing-wing fighter had been the backbone of ground-attack fleet of the Air Force for several decades and the IAF today bid adieu to its squadron of seven aircraft from the Jodhpur Air Base.
"The upgraded variant of this last swing-wing fleet has been the pride of IAF strike fleet since 2006. All other variants, such as MiG-23 BN and MiG-23 MF and the pure MiG-27 have already retired from IAF," the defence ministry said on Thursday.
"The fleet earned its glory in the historic Kargil conflict when it delivered rockets and bombs with accuracy on enemy positions. The fleet also took active part in Operation Parakram," the ministry said.
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The Number 29 Squadron was the only unit in the IAF operating the MiG-27 upgrades, it said in a statement. The upgraded version, because of its survivability, had participated in numerous national and international exercises.
The Squadron was raised on March 10, 1958, at Air Force Station Halwara with Ouragan (Toofani) aircraft. "Over the years, the Squadron has been equipped with numerous types of fighters such as MiG-21 Type 77, MiG-21 Type 96, MiG-27 ML and MiG-27 upgrade," the ministry said.
The Squadron is now slated to be number plated on March 31, 2020, with December 27 being its last flying day, thereby making the swing-wing fleet a part of IAF's glorious history.
The lethal aircraft, for their role during the 1999 Kargil War, earned the moniker 'Bahadur' from IAF pilots.
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