End of the line for India's 'Bahadur' Mig-27

The Indian Air Force on Thursday bid adieu to the legendary aircraft - the Mig 27 - which helped India win the 1999 Kargil war against the Pakistanis.

The Indian Air Force inducted the Soviet-mademachine designed by Mikoyan Gurevich (Mig) into service in 1985. The NATO code-name given to the aircraft was 'Flogger'. The Mig 27 proved its capability and along with the British SEPECAT Jaguar went on to form India's fleet of ground attack aircraft.

While many may disregard its role, the Mig 27 is not like the Mig 21 and nor is it like the Mig 29. The Mig 21 is an interceptor aircraft, which as the name suggests, intercepts foreign aircraft violating Indian air space, a role which revolves around defence. The Mig 29 is a multi-role fighter aircraft which, as the name suggests again, can have multiple roles in given operations. These roles may include of air-to-air 'dog fights' as well as air-to-surface operations and aerial reconnaissance, among others.

The Mig 27 unlike the Mig 21 and Mig 29 plays a more ground-based role. Designed for surface-to-air operations, the Mig 27 is a dedicated ground attack aircraft which carries out sorties against ground-based targets. Such aircraft are usually slower in speed than other categories, considering the weight of the additional armour and heavy-duty ammunition it employs. Such aircraft usually operate along with the cover of air-superiority aircraft such as the Mig 29 and Su 30 combat aircraft.

In it's time with the Indian Air Force, the fleet of Mig 27's proved its capability in utilising bombs, rockets, precision munitions (guided by laser or TV) as well as air-to-air missiles. It's computer and equipment enabled it to have an excellent forward-vision as well as a360 degree eye on the sky, proving it's mettle and establishing its true worth to ground attack operations.

The Bahadur was designed as a single-pilot aircraft, which could take-off with a maximum of roughly 20,000 kg, including arms & munitions and body weight. It could operate within a range of 780 km at a top speed of 1,885 kmph. The meximum height at which it could operate was 46,000 ft. As far as the enemy was concerned, this was a Lamborghini in the air, equipped with the armour of a tank, firing rockets and dropping bombs on them.

The comparatively stronger undercarriage undercarriage and heavy-duty landing gear enable the 'Bahadur' to operate from uneven or even unpaved airbases, which in times of war and emergencies plays a very important factor. The aircraft can specifically have a huge impact on enemy ground units in open areas, like the Thar desert.

The aircraft'scapability of launching guided as well as unguided (or free-fall)munitions made it the centre-piece of the aerial component of Operation Safed Sagar. The ultimate aim of the operation was to flush out Pakistani troops from the positions they occupied in the Kargil sector.

The Mig 27 was also inducted by the Sri Lankan Air Force in 2000, playing a huge role in fighting the civil war againstthe LTTE.