Leading From Front: IAF Chief Flies MiG-21 on Visit to AFS Sulur – Home Base to Tejas, Watch Video

Therha

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posted on 5 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Indian Air Force chief's act comes in the backdrop of ageing Soviet-era jet shooting down a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) a far superior F-16 in aerial combat on Line of Control (LoC) in February this year.

Indian Air Force chief Birender Singh Dhanoa flew a number of MiG-21 sorties in Sulur, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

Though chiefs have flown fighters in the past as a morale-boosting gesture, Dhanoa's latest act comes in the backdrop of ageing Soviet-era jet shooting down a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) a far superior F-16 in aerial combat on Line of Control (LoC) in February this year.

Dhanoa undertook a sortie on the two-seater trainer version of the aircraft and followed it up with three solo flights on Mig-21 Type 96, the oldest variant of the aircraft. Dhanoa had commanded 17 squadrons (flying Type 96) during the Kargil operations.

#LeadingFromFront :The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, is on an official visit to AFS Sulur- 'Home base to Tejas'.The CAS, interacted with the team 'FLYING DAGGERS' during the visit. pic.twitter.com/PRNIPIauWL— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 17, 2019

#LeadingFromFront :The CAS ACM BS Dhanoa, leading the IAF from front, flew the supersonic jet MiG-21 at AFS Sulur. Post his solo sortie, he reaffirmed "MiG-21 is a formidable war machine". pic.twitter.com/KIOoSYaiOd— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 17, 2019

#LeadingFromFront : Glimpses of Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa's solo sortie from AFS Sulur.The CAS has more than 2000 hrs of flying on the MiG-21 jet.He has led a MiG-21 Sqn from front during 'Op Safed Sagar', Kargil Ops. pic.twitter.com/chbpX4QiKZ— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 17, 2019

The shooting down of an F-16 by an IAF MiG-21 was hailed as a major achievement even though PAF is yet to acknowledge that it had taken a hit during the dogfight.

#LeadingFromFront : Glimpses of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa's sorties at AFS Sulur. pic.twitter.com/GtzthdhXAY— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 17, 2019

The MiG-21 flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhman had shot down the F-16 which was part of a large package of PAF fighters trying to cross the border in Jammu and Kashmir to drop bombs at military installations in retaliating to IAF's bombing of terrorist training camps in Pakistan 's Balakot.

(With inputs from IANS)