New Delhi: Over three-and-a-half years after the Indian Air Force scripted a historic episode of bravery beyond enemy lines, the force is set to retire one of its four remaining squadrons of the ageing MiG-21 fighter jets on September 30 — the Srinagar-based No. 51 squadron, also known as ‘Sword Arms’, an official familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Wing Commander (now Group Captain) Abhinandan Varthaman, who was awarded Vir Chakra for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 combat aircraft during a dogfight over the Line of Control on February 27, 2019, was part of the squadron at the time.
The dogfight took place a day after the Indian Air Force annihilated a terror facility in Pakistan’s Balakot when IAF’s Mirage-2000s bombed the region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on February 26, 2019. The attack was in retaliation to the Pulwama suicide attack in Kashmir in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on February 14.
The other three MiG-21 squadrons will be phased out by 2025, the official said.
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