After nearly 35 years of service, the last MiG-27 was phased out of the Indian Air Force. First inducted into the IAF in 1984, the MiG-27 served with distinction during the Kargil war of 1999 with one aircraft being shot-down by a Pakistani SAM.
The IAF inducted the MiG-27 and its related aircraft – the MiG-23BN and the MiG-23MF – to enhance its tactical strike fleet with an emphasis on ground attack with unguided rockets and bombs while the MiG-23MF was an interim purchase aimed at countering Pakistani F-16s pending the induction of MiG-29s and Mirage 2000s.
The MiG-27 fleet was also supplied with a variety of air-to-surface missiles with the Kh-29, Kh-23 and Kh-25 families all seeing use with the MiG-27 in Indian service.
Two squadrons of the type were upgraded from 2001-2002 and served until recently as India’s most capable tactical strike aircraft.
The retirement of three MiG-23BN and six MiG-27 squadrons has left a large gap in the IAF’s inventory and it remains to be seen if the logical step of replacing these aircraft with additional orders of the Tejas Mk.1 and Mk1A will be taken to satisfy the IAF in this demanding role.
