The MiG-21 supersonic fighter, developed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich in 1955, is a testament to the outstanding engineering thought of Soviet developers during the Cold War. This aircraft is still revered, wrote columnist Brandon J. Weichert of the American publication The National Interest.
The light fighter-interceptor served in the Air Force in 50 countries around the world and was the most popular military aircraft of its time. The MiG-21 is still operated by the Indian Air Force.
MiG-21 — a formidable opponent of the USA
The development of Mikoyan and Gurevich proved to be very effective during the Vietnam War. Brandon J. Weichert noted the maneuverability, rapid take-off and unique design of the aircraft.
The MiG became a formidable opponent of American troops in Vietnam. It turned out to be more maneuverable than its main American competitor, the F-4 Phantom. During the war, MiG-21 pilots shot down about 50 American aircraft
The columnist recalled Doug Richardson's book "The Rise of the Red Star", in which the author cited the memoirs of a Western test pilot who flew the MiG-21. The pilot claimed that in any conflict he would bet on the MiG-21.
The reason why the pilot made such an assessment lies in the rate of climb (flight performance characteristic, rate of climb) of the aircraft and the small cross-section, its maneuverability in combat, like a bird
MiG-21 shot down an F-16
India is one of the last countries that will not abandon the MiG-21. These aircraft, which have been in service with the Air Force since 1965, are slowly being replaced by modern ones. The Indian version of the MiG-21F participated in the conflict in 1971 with Pakistan. In 2019, an Indian pilot, flying a Soviet aircraft, shot down a more advanced F-16 of the Pakistani Air Force.
Few military aircraft can boast such a long track record. The MiG-21 should not be underestimated or disrespected.
Earlier, InfoBRICS columnist Drago Bosnic stated that the Soviet MiG-31 fighter is superior to the American F-16 aircraft. Its modernized version, the MiG-31BM, is called the "flying S-400."
