Delay in Upgrading MiG Fleet
03 Aug, 2000 · 397
Wg Cdr NK Pant argues for a speedy upgradation of the MiG-21 to give a boost to nation’s air power
The MiG-21 upgradation project which is running behind schedule by two years had attracted adverse comments from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on defence. If one goes by precedents, there are ample possibilities of further slippage and the IAF may not be able induct the upgraded aircraft into squadron service as originally scheduled. In view of shrinking defence budgets and exorbitant cost of the new fighter aircraft, it has become an accepted fact in most of the air forces in the world to go in for a mid life refit or update of its combat flying machines at some stage during their life time before these attain the stage of obsolescence.
Soviet Union
immediately after the Chinese aggression on the Himalayan borders. The Soviets besides supplying the aircraft off the shelf, had also assisted
India
in setting up plants at
Nasik
, Koraput and
Hyderabad
for manufacturing airframes, engines and avionics respectively under licence. Some of the versions which were produced at HAL facilities included MiG-21F, MiG-21 FL and MiG-21 UM. The manufacture of MiG-21 Bis, the most versatile workhorse from the MiG-21 stable followed suit which is now being subjected to upgradation with the Russian assistance. The contract allows specific equipment purchases from the international market specially from
Israel
and
France
. The flare dispensers of the upgraded machine, needed to confuse a hostile missile are to be procured from Israeli companies. The French military aviation firms are to provide the inertial navigational system needed to keep the pilot on course over the long distances. The Russians will integrate the latest Kopyo radar presently installed in MiG-29s and capable of tracking and guiding a variety of missiles to the approaching hostile targets at a distance of 60 kilometres. The MiG-21 modernisation programme includes upgradation of its avionics, electronic warfare kit and navigation system while retaining same airframe and engine.
London
, the
United Kingdom
spent $1.6 billion on upgrading Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter planes only to find that they could no longer fire the state-of-the-art missiles.
India
’s requirements of combat and support aircraft. The success of this modernisation plan should pave the way for upgrades of MiG-27 ground attack fighters and Jaguar fighter-bombers, both produced indigenously by HAL under licence from
Russia
and the
United Kingdom
respectively.
Russia
, HAL will commence modification work with assistance from Russian MiG-MAPO. This is bound to take a considerable time resulting in further delay in turning out the finished product for operational use by the IAF. The air force may also require sufficient time to assimilate the new hybrid technology and evolve new set of standard operating procedures for the modified machines.
The MiG-21, the world’s most produced and renowned fighter, was acquired for the IAF in 1963 from the erstwhile
The improved version of the aircraft will have better ground attack capabilities for providing close air support to the army formations in the field. The machine will also be equipped with the latest electronic counter measures to jam enemy air and ground radars besides the facility to assist the pilot with digital maps of the ground terrain . The modernised model will be equipped with a user friendly head up display in the cockpit comprising all the relevant data needed by pilot for carrying out the combat mission. The pilot will have the facility of helmet mounted sight to engage the enemy aircraft at close range enabling him to instantaneously release a missile on contact with the enemy plane. In this respect, lessons learnt by other countries must be borne in mind. If one gives credence to a news report published in the Times,
The upgraded MiG-21s with considerably enhanced life span are expected provide useful service to the IAF till the year 2015. By that time having gained enough experience from the LCA programme, our military aviation technology should hopefully be in a position to meet
After the mandatory test flights and completion of design and development phase of the first two MiG-21s in
The modernisation programme needs urgent attention of the authorities in the defence ministry for its expediting. The timely delivery of the modified and updated combat aircraft will certainly give a boost to nation’s air power. The undue delay is not only depriving the IAF of having an operational edge over its opposing forces in the neighbourhood thereby endangering India’s security but the resultant cost overruns are divesting the national exchequer of scarce resources in terms of foreign exchange. Already the original cost of $300 million has shot up to $626 million and may shoot up further if in the event of additional slippage in completion. On the contrary the successful and timely culmination of the MiG-21 upgradation programme may prove beneficial to the HAL which after gaining the required experience, may take up upgradation tasks for the air force of some third world countries that are still flying this versatile fighter aircraft.
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