NE NEWS SERVICE
JODHPUR, DEC 27
After serving the IAF for over three decades, the MiG-27, which proved to be an “ace attacker” during the 1999 Kargil conflict, will roar through the skies for one last time on Friday. The swing-wing fighter has been the backbone of IAF’s ground-attack fleet for several decades and the force will bid adieu to its squadron of seven aircraft from Jodhpur Air Base, officials said.
“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,” it said. The lethal aircraft, for its role during the Kargil conflict, earned the moniker ‘Bahadur’ from IAF pilots.
