Indian Air Force fighter jet crashes in Rajasthan

 

• Indian Air Force fighter jet experiences major technical malfunction
• The pilot survives the crash landing
• MiG-21 Bison is the backbone of the Indian airstrike

An Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 Bison plane crashed in Rajasthan's Suratgarh on Tuesday.

In a statement issued on Twitter, the IAF said the aircraft experienced a major technical failure during a training outing in the western sector.

The pilot survived the accident, he added. "A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident."

India acquired the MiG-21 Bison manufactured by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in 1961. It has a maximum speed of 2230 km / h (Mach 2.1) and carries a 23 mm double-barreled cannon with four close combat missiles. R-60.

The Russian-sourced single-engine, single-seat multi-role fighter, and ground attack aircraft is the backbone of the Indian air force. The Indian government used the fighter jets in its February 2019 showdown with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

The PAF shot down a MiG-21 in aerial combat and captured its pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was later handed over to India in a gesture of peace by the Pakistani government.