Educational institutes, museums seek retiring MiG-21 for display

As the Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to retire its fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets, it faces a bunch of applications from educational institutes, war memorials and military museums seeking airframes for display.

The last two squadrons of the jet are set to retire on September 26 in a ceremony at Chandigarh. These jets will not be sent to junk yard. Each IAF combat squadron is mandated to have 16-18 jets.

The IAF has a multi-step process of giving out airframes – without the engine, avionics and weapons. The IAF also has a priority list, and the allocation process is based on a formal request and an evaluation system.

Private educational bodies have to pay for the airframe and that can cost up to Rs 30 lakh. Transfers to military museums, war memorials and government institutions is at no cost. Public sector undertakings get airframes at different pricing. The top priority for allocation of an airframe is for government institutions.

Sources say the institution that is allotted an airframe has to follow protocol on its maintenance, including the IAF’s designated colour scheme. Even the paint and its colour shade has to be as per the IAF’s rules.

In case, a state government requests an airframe for a city, the municipal authorities of that city are made a part of the maintenance schedule, ensuring the airframe is not allowed to decay.

The process for retiring and re-purposing airframes starts when an aircraft reaches the end of its operational service life, either due to age or obsolescence. Over the years, as MiG 21s retired in batches, air frames were allotted.

Among other places where airframes are located is the Air Force Museum, Palam, Delhi. It has a large collection of retired IAF aircraft, including fighter jets, such as MiG-21 and transport planes like the Antonov An-12.

IAF Heritage Museum, Chandigarh, displays various aircraft, with a special emphasis on the history of the IAF. The airframe of a retired single-seater MiG-21 is showcased there.

HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum, Bengaluru, displays a variety of aircraft, both military and civilian, highlighting India's aerospace history. Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum in Delhi to has airframes.