PLANES and PILOTS Es, ILS system antennae under the air intake and at the top of the tall[MIG-21U “Mongo! A ist two-seat version based on ‘the MiG-21F-13 without cannon and radar. Tumansky B-14F-300 turbojet. a [MIG-21UM “Mongol B’. Last trainer version, similar to the previous one but angle of attack sensor atthe front, retractable rear Vow mirtoron the rear canopy ‘and four underwing pyions. ‘Chengdu J-7E. Upgraded version ofthe J7IWF-7B ‘equipped with Marconi Super Skyranger radar. New double deta wings. \MiG-21R “Fishbed H”- Reconnaissance version ofthe MIG-21PF equipped wih a nacelle containing dferent ‘types of equipment under the fuselage as well as electronic jamming systems inthe wing tps. Exportation versions Gesignated «MiG-21RF, [MIG-21UB "Mongo! B. Large afin cord and parachute brake relocated a the fot ofthe rudder, new ventral fin. Without search radar and cannon. Tumansky -TIIAIF-7B. Chinese copy ol the MIG-21F-13. "New parachute faing, angle of attack probe at the front. J7EWing 13na (ran ar fre. AP) beareg highway markings al combat vainng. 2 and 42° on the outside), wingspan was increast n) and wing surface by 8%; fuel capak four tonnes). Th The dorsal orest, ke fuel to be s und twin-ban in the belly. First fight small number of J-7s TINA (hen JT s Martin eliminate ts detects, wi e 4a single pi ort version for Pakistan was equipped wi system vol the fighter and the equivalent of Cheng FMG 21M ot tneACROSS THE WORLD 3 THE MIG 21‘Albania *flond! sa tage!” Hq ran Alghanson China ee Vietnam Ethiopia Sri tre: Ton ésia Taig Wiazombiche TER yocor , Nenibio yf Guinea Bissau Timbcbwe Zambia Namibia Angola Congo Nigeria Burkine-Faso Mali 7 ©S060090080Above. MGs of he 22 EBA (EskachlaBorbanh Avoralihiersquacter) lhe Hive Zacre Snage (Crain At Fore) Tis aah ladod wih Wo F.E0 (AA «Aphid :) mote, one Oe og panes of hs ype moderiaed by Aerostar Romana in 2003, ontinued fem page 15) the planes’ owners, who often don't have the means to buy new, more up to date planes, to carry on flying them for a few more years and sill have adequate military potential ‘Among these programmes the following are worth mentio- ning} — the MIG-21-93 proposed by the Russian Federation itselt it differs by having the original radar replaced by the Doppier impulsion radar installed in the MiG-29. Thanks to this new ra: dar, modem weapons and missiles can be cartied and new flight controls, double-screen "head-up" sights and a helmet designator, have made their appearance in the cockpit. the MIG-21-97, the same as above but powered by a Kil mov RD-33 with improved performances. the MiG-21-2000 proposed by IAI is a Fishbed with mo- der cockpit, avionics and arms systems which have enabled the aircraft to remain competitive among the more modern wes: tern jets, the MIG-21 Lancer, designed in partnership with the Is- raeli company Elbit and the Romanian company Aerostar, is a modernised ver- sion of the Fishbed specially designed for the ground attack role with guided wea- pons. This machine has also appeared in training (Lancer B) or “air superiority’ (Lancer C) versions. — "the MIG-21 Bison - no doubt the modernised version with the best perfor- mances - was equipped with a Phazotron Kopyo" (lance) radar capable of trac king eight targets simultaneously. Accor- ding to its promoter, the Russian Sokol the Bison was the equivalent of the first generation F-16A, D. Bretfort Lot MiG2tis fhe No 15 Squachon « ying Lance. Othe idan A Force wearing a high ve very or conbat waning. (BV5)USER COUNTRIES Afghanistan Forty or so MiG-21F-13s arrived in Afghanistan in because there weren't any spares, most of the MiG-21s 1973, supplied by the Warsaw Pact and accompanied were grounded and only a few were used for the war by technical personnel and pilots. Atthe end of 1979 with lords’ arsenals. During the civil war which broke out later, Soviat intervention, the Afghan Democratic Republic the MiG-21s carried out ground attack missions but also was reinforced by a contingent of 70 MiG-21MFs as well as {00k part in some dogfights. Having got hold of the capital, 0 oF s0 MiG-21bis and six MiG-21UIM two-seat trainers Kabul, in March 1995, The Talibans, Islamic radicals from Pa: At the end of the eighties, the MiG-21s were spilt into two ft _kistan, captured several MiG-21s which were made operational jegiments, situated at Bagram and Mazar-esSharit. These again with Pakistan help. planes were used until the Soviet forces pulled out of Aighanis- When they were forced from power by the United States-led Allied offensive in the wake of the 11 September 2001 epi > sode, the Talibans only had a handful of MiG-2ts left in }\ tying, condition and an equivalent number of unser cceable planes, most of which were destroyed during the fighting Tan in 1989. This withdrawal sounded the knell for the pro-So- viet ragime which was finally overthrown by the Mujahidin 7 who then proclaimed the Islamic State of Afghanistan. // The new government took over the Afghan air force's. / aircraft among which there were a lot of MiG-21s, But | MiG-21PEM Fetbed Fred 252° ‘fe Algran Demeeate Repub at frce ite ogres — @ MG21BisFerbed ofthe Alghan DemeeraeRepubte a lores, Bara, 198 MG-21Bis Fated Led 915" of he ‘gran Democratic Republic a too, Bagram, 1080 —_ ee 19Afghanistan Teo view of M21UM red 0589" Top view of MG-21UM hte S67 iG.21UM Mongol 8 red 0545 Sithe Aigan Derocate Peptic ar ce Stine endothe aghtien MiG21UM - Monga 8», «White 561 tthe tlamic Ema of Aighanstn A Feoe ammoAlbania ‘ter orng the Warsaw Pact in 1956, Albania let 412000. The breakdown in eatons wih Pking at be ii BoSom ioe ater recng et tlatons waht Breath ioe toasted ie Sout tal ation the USSR Tho county then harced & China n tro Bung nek caters n te Pocr Lear Are Sr Tau ts oF ie, Tho Chong P-taa were fe pe tre FUAS: Ihe Abenan at foes), we rach teioe delwored by China Neworber 1070, and Wet ever lon, he toa ie/aend ha send h Noch (aoou at Rings (Taro) ard thon at oder he neh 1988 SOOT ing sunny AcTonere sores die county in 187 anor tay vomalned oporaicnel Un- tumnok,tilon he base t Gador E-7A othe 4020 A Regent fe FUAS, Pas Trana, 1990, ‘Sonyang F:7A tom the 2nd Squadron of the 40206 Air Rgmert Rnas-Trana, 202 Ths pane bers he now ribo oundanredaadin te ines Algeria The Al-Uwat alVawiya al Jazaira, the Algerian air for. were made subsequently. In the second half of the se- ce, was created in 1962 and equipped with Russian figh- venties, some MiG-21MFs and MiG-21bis were also ters withthe six first MiG-21F-18s being delivered in 1965 acquired as were some MiG-21UM two seat trainers, Quickly followed by forty or so others of the same sor. Following the end of Soviet support, all the Algerian During the Si-Day-War, Algeria sent 31 MiG-21s to MiG-216 in flying condition, between 70 and 120 planes, Egypt, but six of them actually landed at El Arsh in the Sinai depending on the sources, were progressively withdrawn an airfield which had just been overrun by Israeli forces. Four of from service and replaced by a much reduced number of the planes captured in flying condition were sent to the United MiG-29s and Sukhol Su-24s with the last flight States for evaluation. Algeria received 30 MiG-21PFs during the of an Algerian “Fishbed” taking place in period 1968-1967 and further deliveries of 40 or so MIG-21PFMs 2003, MG.21F-13 FetbedC 1985. PaAlgeria Topviow of WG-21 F026 MiG-21MF Fish J, 1978Angola 4 Aérea Popular de Angola (the Angolan air cived twelve MiG-21MFs at the beginning of supplied by Cuba. A few months later the Soviet Union in turn delivered eight MiG-21F-13s and two MiG- DIUS. In 1980 this initial batch was reinforced with an extra 12 MiG-21MFs and two MiG-21Us, followed in 1983 by 15 MiG-2tbis and MiG-21Us, and again in 1985 by a further lot of thirty MiG 21bis, a delivery which was renewed the folowing year The Angolan “Fishbeds" fought for the first time in 1976 against the FNLA and UNITA rebels backed by the West and particularly G-21Bs FsnbodL rom he Fores ‘eres Feparde Angola. 1980 MG-21MF Fos o, Wanda (Angel), 198, 'MG.21UM Mango!B, on 30 by 1967 by neighbouring South Africa. Considered as a frontline position within the Soviet zone of influence in Africa, An- gola always had an excellent aircraft arsenal, its hundred or so MiG-21s being used almost entirely in’ the ground support role against the rebels where they only ran into limited enemy air defence. On the other hand when they were directly faced with the South African Mirage Ills and F-1s, the Angolan MiG-21s were clearly outclassed by the later, losing at least five Fishbeds’ during the fighting. Today there are no longer any MiG-218s in service in Angola, 2324 Bangladesh Aer spliting away from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh F-78Gs and F-7MGs. All these planes - less than thirty received military aid from the Soviet Union in the form of — were based at Bashar in No 5 ("Supersonics") Squa- MiG-21MFs and MiG-21UMSs, dron and No 21 ("Thundercats") Squadron alongside In 1989-1990, these fighters were replaced by nine some MiG-29s which the Bangladesh Chinese Chengdu F-7MBs and four Guizhou FT-7Bs, del Biman Bahini (Bangladeshi veries of which continued until 2006 in the foc this time of force) aiso possessed. MG 2IMF Fetoed.s The machine as tn 1982, a MG21UM Monga This was the second machine of te ype debered — — 1036 —