Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday de-commissioned MiG-27 aircraft after a ceremony held at Air Force Station Jodhpur.
MiG-27 swing wing fighter aircraft had been the backbone of the ground attack fleet of the Indian Air Force for the past four decades. The upgraded variant of this last swing-wing fleet was the pride of the Indian Air Forces strike fleet since 2006.
All the other variants, such as MiG-23 BN and MiG-23 MF and the pure MiG-27 have already retired from the force.
These aircraft have made an immense contribution to the nation, both during peace and war. The fleet made a stellar contribution in the Kargil conflict when it delivered rockets and bombs with accuracy on enemy positions. The fleet also took an active part in Op-Parakram.
The upgraded version, because of its survivability had also participated in numerous national and international exercises.
The decommissioning ceremony was marked by impressive drills and performances. The MiG-27, which served the IAF for over three decades, was also given a water cannon salute as per the tradition of IAF.