Indian air force to phase out MiG-21 trainer aircraft

Indian Air Force (IAF) will phase out its remaining MiG-21 trainer aircraft by 2012.

"The aging MiG fighter is still the mainstay of IAF. About 70 to 80 will be phased out by 2012 and substituted with the British Hawk advanced jet trainers," the Indo-Asia News Service quoted Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy as saying Monday.

"The induction of the British aircraft will augment pilot training and the IAF would soon send its pilots to Britain for training," he said.

A total of 22 Hawk jets would be delivered off the shelf by BAE Systems while 44 more would be manufactured under license by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Russian-made MiG series jets have come under a cloud after a spate of crashes in recent years.

The IAF has lost more than 50 fighter aircraft in accidents since January 2000.

However, human error (aircrew), bird hit and technical defects have been identified as main causes of these accidents by various Courts of Enquiry.