<p>"The MiG-21 is a very old aircraft. It is now in the process of being phased out," Antony said during question hour in the Lok Sabha.<br /><br />"The normal life of an aircraft is 30-34 years," he added.<br />The IAF currently operates a little over 200 MiG-21s. Of these, 121 have been upgraded to the Bison version and are likely to fly till 2017, an IAF source said.<br />The remaining 80-90 aircraft will be phased out in the next two-three years, the source added, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media on the issue.<br /><br />The IAF first acquired the MiG-21 in 1961. <br />Between 1966 and 1984, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) built four variants of the aircraft, initially from completely knocked down kits and eventually from Indian-made components for a total of 658 planes.<br /><br />In the mid-1990s, despite a series of crashes, the IAF decided to upgrade 121 planes of the fourth variant, the MiG-21bis, to the Bison category.<br />The complete phase out of the MiG-21 was also linked to the acquisition of new aircraft, the IAF source pointed out.<br /><br />Towards this end, the IAF will induct two squadrons - 16 aircraft each - of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) and another six squadrons of the plane within six years.<br />Then, the IAF will, by the end of April, complete its evaluation of the six jets contending for its order of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) in a deal worth $10 billion.<br />"If all goes well, we should be able to zero in on the winner within 18 months, with the first aircraft arriving about a year after that," the IAF source said.<br /><br />Around the time production of the MiG-21 seized, the IAF had felt the need for a suitable replacement and made known its requirements for a LCA to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).<br /><br />The first LCA prototype flew in 2000 but there are still major glitches with its engine which are in the process of being ironed out.<br />Even so, the IAF is known to be not entirely happy with the aircraft, which is why is had ordered a mere six squadrons.<br />The delays in the LCA project prompted the IAF to embark on the MMRCA programme.<br /></p>
<p>"The MiG-21 is a very old aircraft. It is now in the process of being phased out," Antony said during question hour in the Lok Sabha.<br /><br />"The normal life of an aircraft is 30-34 years," he added.<br />The IAF currently operates a little over 200 MiG-21s. Of these, 121 have been upgraded to the Bison version and are likely to fly till 2017, an IAF source said.<br />The remaining 80-90 aircraft will be phased out in the next two-three years, the source added, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media on the issue.<br /><br />The IAF first acquired the MiG-21 in 1961. <br />Between 1966 and 1984, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) built four variants of the aircraft, initially from completely knocked down kits and eventually from Indian-made components for a total of 658 planes.<br /><br />In the mid-1990s, despite a series of crashes, the IAF decided to upgrade 121 planes of the fourth variant, the MiG-21bis, to the Bison category.<br />The complete phase out of the MiG-21 was also linked to the acquisition of new aircraft, the IAF source pointed out.<br /><br />Towards this end, the IAF will induct two squadrons - 16 aircraft each - of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) and another six squadrons of the plane within six years.<br />Then, the IAF will, by the end of April, complete its evaluation of the six jets contending for its order of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) in a deal worth $10 billion.<br />"If all goes well, we should be able to zero in on the winner within 18 months, with the first aircraft arriving about a year after that," the IAF source said.<br /><br />Around the time production of the MiG-21 seized, the IAF had felt the need for a suitable replacement and made known its requirements for a LCA to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).<br /><br />The first LCA prototype flew in 2000 but there are still major glitches with its engine which are in the process of being ironed out.<br />Even so, the IAF is known to be not entirely happy with the aircraft, which is why is had ordered a mere six squadrons.<br />The delays in the LCA project prompted the IAF to embark on the MMRCA programme.<br /></p>