The Indian Air Force (IAF) decommissioned its fleet of MiG-27s at a formal ceremony held at an air force station in Jodhpur city in India's Rajasthan State on Friday.
Veteran and active air warriors attended the symbolic and emotionally-charged ceremony in large numbers. Air Marshal S. K. Ghotia, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force’s South Western Air Command, led the wind-down ceremony that included several other functions.
Netizens took to social media to express their sentiments on the aircraft’s final flight.
After 4 decades of service, Indian Air Force's MiG-27 which retires today receives water salute at Air Force Station Jodhpur.#MiG27 #IAF
— Sunil kumar (@TweetsOfSunil) December 27, 2019
pic.twitter.com/RVlGTqAIkS
The MiG-27, for its role during Kargil War, earned the moniker 'Bahadur' from IAF pilots. The fleet also took active part in Operation Parakram. #AdieuMiG27 #MiG27 pic.twitter.com/SaAAdJwxU6
— Pinky Rajpurohit (ABP News) 🇮🇳 (@Madrassan_Pinky) December 27, 2019
Goodbye Kargil Hero.
— Santosh Kumar (@gyanbjp) December 27, 2019
All good things have to come to an end.#MiG27 pic.twitter.com/adzZjrJ1if
Historic day for @IAF_MCC as the Scorpion-29 squadron of #MiG27 takes off on its final sortie from Jodhpur, an era will come to an end. The Bahadur (nicknamed post Kargil) will be decommissioned and its watch will end worldwide. The aircraft has been lethal in frontline defence. pic.twitter.com/eL88mjkwf5
— Shibu Tripathi (@imsktripathi) December 27, 2019
MiG 27 retires today#MiG27 played a stellar role during the Kargil conflict with Pakistan
— Arun Sharma (@ArunSharmaLive) December 27, 2019
MIG 27 earned nickname of 'Bahadur' from pilots
Number 29 Squadron was the only unit in the IAF operating the MiG-27 upgrades@PBNS_India pic.twitter.com/1vCiZUwRHb
Sun sets for #Mig27 fighter jets in @IAF_MCC with last flight of swing wing fleet tomorrow in #jodhpur wich earned glory with active bombing on enemy locations & positions during #Kargil war pic.twitter.com/nl0sEdj27B
— Neeraj Rajput (@neeraj_rajput) December 26, 2019
The last squadron of MiG-27 of #IAF to be decommissioned tomorrow. In fact the last in the world. Historic in more ways than one. Have had the privilege to fly along side the aircraft of this Sqn. Salute to them #Mig27 #MilitaryJets #Historic #Pilot #AvGeek
— Kishore (@Capt_Ck) December 26, 2019
The Mikoyan MiG-27 is a ground-attack aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau of the former Soviet Union and later produced in India by license at the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics.
The upgraded variant of this aircraft has, however, been the pride of IAF’s strike fleet since 2006. Currently, the IAF's 29 Squadron headquartered in Halwara in India’s Punjab state flies the MiG 27 Upgrades apart from other fighter aircraft such as the MiG 21 Type 77, MiG 21 Type 96 and MiG 27 ML. The upgraded version has taken part in several national and international air exercises
The MiG 27 now joins the MiG-23 BN and MiG-23 MF in their vintage status.
