Howard Gethin/LONDON
The first flight of an upgraded MiG-21 for the Indian air force took place on 6 October at ANPK's Sokol plant in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia. Preparations are under way for live firing trials of Vympel R-73 (AA-11 Archer) infrared short-range and R-77 (AA-12 Adder) active-homing medium range missiles. The R-77 test will be the first known firing of an active-homing air-to-air weapon from a MiG-21.
The aircraft, one of two being upgraded at the Sokol plant, will shortly begin a series of systems test flights, giving new impetus to a project previously stalled by delays caused by technical and financial problems in Russia.
The $300 million, 125-aircraft programme for India is potentially the world's biggest MiG-21 upgrade order, but the project has progressed slowly since contract signature in 1996, because of financial wrangling between India and Russian suppliers. India even approached Israel to assist in the programme, but this was refused, as it would have competed with Israel's MiG-21 upgrade projects.
India's Hindustan Aeronautics will undertake the series refitting of the MiG-21 fleet, using Russian supplied kits.
The upgraded aircraft features the Phazotron Kopyo lightweight multimode radar and an Elta electronic warfare system, a new Sextant navigation system comprising a Totem ring laser gyro and embedded GPS and a liquid crystal display control and display unit.
Sextant has begun volume production of Totem, which also functions as a main and standby 1553 bus controller. The second aircraft is to be completed next month.
Source: Flight International
