COME March 20 and 224 Squadron of Indian Air Force will give up its 24-year-old fighter plane Mig-23 MF, which has covered 32,581 flying hours. Four of the remaining five Mig-23 MF fighters will take to the skies one last time on the coming Tuesday at frontline Air Force Station, Jamnagar under South Western Air Command.
Mig-23 MF, also known as Raksha, will fly for the last time on March 31 bringing to an end the operations of 224 Squadrons, also known as Warlords, who will then end their operations temporarily and begin when re-equipped with new aircrafts and assigned a new operational role.
224 Squadron was raised on July 4, 1983 at AFS Adampur in Punjab. The Warlords moved from Adampur to Halwara in Punjab in 1996 and then to Jamnagar in September 1997.
The Mig-23 MF is one of the first IAF fighters to be equipped with R-23 R and R-23 T, Beyond Visual Range (BVR), Air-to-Air missiles that carry 96 rockets, and 1.5 tonnes of bombs of 100, 250 or 500 kg calibers and can attain a speed of approximately 2500 Kmph.
Mig-23 MF is a swing-wing interceptor capable of delivering an array of missiles bombs and guided weapons.
It also trains IAF pilots in air-to-air fighting skills.
Warlords have participated in several operations including ‘Operation Meghdoot’ in the air defence of Siachin glacier in 1985-86. The Squadron has also operated from Leh, the highest airfield in India, and is also the first to operate from Ladakh. They were also adjudged the “Best Overall Fighter Squadron’’
Courtesy : Expressindia.com
Mig-23 MF, also known as Raksha, will fly for the last time on March 31 bringing to an end the operations of 224 Squadrons, also known as Warlords, who will then end their operations temporarily and begin when re-equipped with new aircrafts and assigned a new operational role.
224 Squadron was raised on July 4, 1983 at AFS Adampur in Punjab. The Warlords moved from Adampur to Halwara in Punjab in 1996 and then to Jamnagar in September 1997.
The Mig-23 MF is one of the first IAF fighters to be equipped with R-23 R and R-23 T, Beyond Visual Range (BVR), Air-to-Air missiles that carry 96 rockets, and 1.5 tonnes of bombs of 100, 250 or 500 kg calibers and can attain a speed of approximately 2500 Kmph.
Mig-23 MF is a swing-wing interceptor capable of delivering an array of missiles bombs and guided weapons.
It also trains IAF pilots in air-to-air fighting skills.
Warlords have participated in several operations including ‘Operation Meghdoot’ in the air defence of Siachin glacier in 1985-86. The Squadron has also operated from Leh, the highest airfield in India, and is also the first to operate from Ladakh. They were also adjudged the “Best Overall Fighter Squadron’’
Courtesy : Expressindia.com