Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It is the second most produced post-World War II military aircraft, after the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

Development

The first delta-wing prototype (named Ye-4, written also E-4) flew in 14 June 1956, and the production MiG-21 entered service in early 1959.

Operational history

The MiG-21 saw frequent action in the Vietnam War and was one of the most advanced aircraft at the time. However, many North Vietnamese aces preferred flying the MiG-17, due to the high wing loading on the MiG-21's. With high wing loading, the MiG-21 was not as agile or maneuverable as the MiG-17. Employing a delta wing configuration, it was the first successful Soviet aircraft combining fighter and interceptor in a single aircraft. It was a lightweight fighter, achieving Mach 2 speed using a relatively low-powered afterburning turbojet, and is thus comparable to the American F-104 Starfighter and French Dassault Mirage III.
It was also used extensively in the Middle East conflicts of the 1960s and 1970s, by the air forces of Egypt, Syria and Iraq against Israel. The plane was outclassed by the more modern F-15 Eagle (designed primarily to combat the Soviet MiG-25 "Foxbat"), which was acquired by Israel in the 1970s. The Indian Air Force has been one of the largest users of this plane after it was used in the 1971 war with good results. The war also witnessed the first supersonic air combat in the subcontinent when a MiG-21 shot down a F-104 Starfighter. It was also used as late as 1999 in the Kargil War with mixed results.
It was used also in early stages of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan but soon outclassed by the newer MiG-23 and MiG-27.

Foreign versions

Between 1962 and 1972 the MiG-21F-13 version was manufactured under license by Aero Vodochody, in Czechoslovakia. Aero built a total of 194 planes during this period.
A PAVN Air Force MiG-21MF flown by Phạm Tuân over Hanoi, North Vietnam on 27 December 1972 was apparently responsible for the only claimed combat kill of a (US Air Force) B-52 Stratofortress in history. The B-52 had been circling above Hanoi during Operation Linebacker II.

The production of the MiG-21bis under license by Hindustan Aeronautics of India lasted until 1984. Despite a series of crashes during the 1990s, which led to the aircraft acquiring the nickname "flying coffin", the Indian Air Force has decided to upgrade about 128 of the MiG-21bis in its inventory to the MiG-21 Bison standard. These will serve the Indian Air Force until 2015.
Chinese copies of the MiG-21 are designated Chengdu J-7 and F-7 (for export).
Russia now offers an upgrade pack for the MiG-21 up to MiG-21-93 standard. This includes an avionics suite upgrade including the installation of the Kopyo pulse doppler radar used by the MiG-29, enabling the aircraft to fire a greater range of modern weapons such as the beyond visual range Vympel R-77 air-to-air missile. The upgraded avionics also enhance the aircraft's survivability as well as its ability to engage enemy fighters. Other upgrades include the installation of a dual screen HUD, helmet-mounted target designator, and advanced flight control systems.
Israeli Aircraft Industries manufactures an upgrade package for the MiG-21 called the MiG-21-2000.