200 pilots killed in 60 years: Why MiG-21s remain in service despite crashes

At least 400 MiG-21s, dubbed as flying coffins, have crashed in the last 60 years. So why does the Indian Air Force still rely on MiGs to boost its squadron strength? Read on to find out.

Over 400 MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force have crashed in the last 60 years, claiming the lives of over 200 pilots and 60 civilians. On Thursday, two pilots were killed when a MiG-21 trainer aircraft crashed during a training sortie in Rajasthan's Barmer, putting the infamous aircraft in the spotlight once again.

The MiG-21 has been dubbed grim nicknames, such as the widow-maker or the flying coffin, owing to numerous crashes since its induction into the Indian Air Force in the 1960s.

MiG-21s dubbed as "flying coffins". 400+ MiG-21s crashed in five decades. #5iveLive with @ShivAroor | #Mig21 #Mig21Crash pic.twitter.com/h7ZufUeT5C

But why are MiG-21s still in the skies? Despite crashes, why do they remain a backbone of the Air Force? First, we take a look at the long history of MiG-21 fighter jets and the Indian Air Force.

The MiG-21 is India’s longest-serving fighter plane. India got its first single-engine MiG-21 in 1963, and since then it has inducted 874 variants of the Soviet-origin supersonic fighters to bolster its combat potential.