Indian Air Force Chopper crashes in Uttar Pradesh; 2 feared dead: Sitapur, July 25: An Indan Air force chopper has reportedly crashed in Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh Two individuals are feared dead. Earlier this year, MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the Bijbehara region in the Anantnag district of Kashmir on May 27. The MiG-21, which was on a routine training sortie, crashed in the fields at Mirhama in Bijbehara. Defence sources have revealed that the pilot of MiG-21 was killed in the crash. According to reports, the IAF has inducted over 900 MiG-21s in its fleet over a period of 40 years, half of which have been lost in different crashes. Sameer Patil, associate fellow, national security, ethnic conflict and terrorism, at Gateway House, stresses that the problem of MiG-21 plane crashes has to be addressed and dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible. He says, “The crash of an MiG-21 jet in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on May 27 morning is a stark reminder to India’s new government about the need to address the problem of an ageing fleet and depleting combat strength of the Indian air force (IAF). There have been a series of accidents with the MiG-21 which has a terrible safety record and hence the bane of the IAF for a long time. While the IAF has begun phasing-out the MiG-21 planes, it will take another four years to complete this process. The replacement for the MiG jets is nowhere in sight as the previous UPA government vacillated on the crucial Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:24:16 +0000
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