New Delhi: The MiG-21 fighter jet which for over four decades have been part of Indian Air Force’s front-line attack repertoire is known to be one of most combat friendly fighter jets that have turned the tide of many aerial combats in their countries favour during wars fought to grapple supremacy in the airspace. The MiG-21 famously known as the Bison in the IAF once again proved its pedigree by shooting down a state of art F-16 plane which violated air space and attempted to destroy key military installations along the Line of Control.

In what was a historic first in the history of aerial combat, India’s daredevil pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman exhibited marvelous skills in dogfight while engaging and intercepting a Pakistani F-16 and eventually shooting it down by striking it with a R-73 missile. Abhinandans’s daredevils act to repulse an enemy aircraft superior than his own MiG-21 has garnered praises from world-famed pilots from all over the world.

Here is all you need to know about the MiG-21 fighter jet

  • The design and development of the MiG- 21 began in the early 1950s and it was designed by Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union

  • The Soviet Union made MiG-21 has the unique record of having served in the Air Force of over 60 countries over a course of 60 years. The MiG 21 is still in service in many countries, including India.

  • The MiG-21 was the first fighter jet to achieve supersonic speed of Mach 1.05 (1300 kmph) and still operates at the same speed.

  • The 21 was nicknamed "balalaika" for resembling a pencil. The MiG-21 held a record for being the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history and the longest production run of a combat aircraft.

  • The MIG 21 is well known among the aviation circles for its Delta Wings and the first prototype called the Ye-4 took its maiden flight on 16 June 1955 and made its first public appearance at the Soviet Aviation Day display in Moscow.


Bison is mostly a single-seater fighter jet with a long fuselage and delta wings. The jet is 14.7 metre long and has a wingspan of 7.1 metre.

The MiG- 21 is light in weight with a dry weight of 5846 kg and maximum takeoff weight of 9800 kg. The MiG-21 is powered by a Tumansky R-25-300 afterburning turbojet with a dry thrust of 40.21 kN (9,040 lbf) and thrust with afterburner of 69.62 kN (15,650 lbf); 97.1 kN WEP (21,825 lbf WEP) (WEP = War Emergency Power, that can be used for 5 minutes).

The range is 1470 km at 10 km altitude. The Bison can carry rockets, air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface missiles and bombs.