IAF bids farewell to ‘Bahadur’ as MiG-27 roars through the skies for one last time

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Dec 27, 2019:  The Indian Air Force (IAF) decommissioned the iconic MiG-27, which played an instrumental role in the 1999 Kargil War, at Jodhpur air base on Friday. The fighter aircraft roared through the skies one last time after serving the IAF for more than three decades.

 

The fleet of MiG-27 had their last sortie from the Jodhpur air base, which had the squadron of seven MiG-27. The fleet was given a water cannon salute.

Attending the event, Air marshal S K Ghotia, the air office commanding-in-chief of South Western Air Command, said the fighter aircraft had been at the frontline and had proved its worth in the 1999 Kargil War.

The MiG-27, which had been the backbone of the ground-attack fleet of the Air Force for several years, also earned the sobriquet of ‘Bahadur’ from IAF pilots.

The IAF also tweeted about MiG-27’s last sortie on Friday.

The Number 29 Squadron is the only unit in the IAF operating the MiG-27 upgrades, the defence ministry said in a statement. It added that the upgraded version has participated in numerous national and international exercises because of its survivability.

The Squadron is now slated to be number plated on March 31, 2020.

Courtesy:indianexpress.com