The Indian Air Force will retire the whole squadron of Srinagar-based MiG-21 by the end of September.
The MiG-21 squadron based in Srinagar known as the ‘Sword Arms’ is being set to retire by September end when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman downed an F-16 combat aircraft of Pakistan day after the Balakot strike in February 2019.
The Srinagar-based MiG-21 squadron named ‘Sword Arms’ is one of its four remaining squadrons of remaining MiG-21 fighter jets.
As per the sources by Indian defense, the no.51 squadron will retire by the end of September and the remaining ones will be phased out by 2025.
Indian Air Force in Pulwama Attack
Two weeks after the Pulwama terror attack the Indian Air Force bombed the Jaish-e-Mohammed training camps in Balakot on February 26, 2019. In this response, Pakistan retaliated on February 27 in an attempt to destroy Indian Military Installations.
Abinanadan Varthaman along with his adversaries took the jet to the skies for an aerial attack and got engaged in aerial combat with the Pakistani jets.
Varthaman pinned down the F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his MiG-21 Bison was shot down. His bravery to execute such a risky mission was awarded on Independence Day in 2019 the Vir Chakra which is known as the third-highest wartime gallantry medal.
Almost 4 decades ago the MiG-21 was inducted into the Indian Air Force, and many of these planes were lost in crashes.
The fighter jets were made during the Soviet era. It might have been part of many crashes and caused the death of many pilots as seen in the news for the past several years but it is said that if an IAF aircraft is airborne it means it is fully serviceable.
The Sword Arms is known as one of the most decorated squadrons of IAF, as it participated in Operation Safed Sagar in the Kargil Conflict of 1999.
According to Bharat Raksha’s website “It was conferred with one Vayu Sena Medal and three Mention-in-Dispatches for its effective contribution. During operation Parakram, the Squadron was tasked with the Air Defence of Kashmir Valley”.
It was first introduced in Chandigarh in 1985. The crests of the squadron show a muscular hand holding a sword with the motto “Vijaya Parakrama” which means ‘valor for the Victory’.
The fighter jets have given a glorious and splendid service to the nation since their arrival, it was awarded the President’s Standard in 2018.
Read More: Jet Crash in Rajasthan’s Barmer killed 2 pilots in IAF MiG-21
Published By: Riya Chaher
