Four of the remaining five Mig-23 MF fighters will take to the skies one last time on the coming Tuesday at frontline Air Force Station, Jamnagar.
IAF 224 Squadron will give up its 24-year-old fighter plane Mig-23 MF, which has covered 32,581 flying hours.
Mig-23 MF or Raksha, will fly for the last time on March 31 and that will bring end to the operations of 224 Squadrons known as Warlords.
Warlords will then end their operations temporarily and begin when re-equipped with new aircrafts and assigned a new operational role.
This Squadron was raised on July 4, 1983 at AFS Adampur in Punjab.
The Warlords moved from Adampur to Halwara in Punjab in 1996 and then to Jamnagar in September 1997.
Mig-23 MF is one of the first IAF fighters to be equipped with R-23 R and R-23 T, Beyond Visual Range (BVR), Air-to-Air missiles that carry 96 rockets and 1.5 tonnes of bombs of 100, 250 or 500 kg calibers and can attain a speed of approximately 2500 Kmph.
Mig-23 MF is a swing-wing interceptor capable of delivering an array of missiles bombs and guided weapons, It also trains IAF pilots in air-to-air fighting skills.
Warlords have participated in several operations including 'Operation Meghdoot' ( defence of Siachin glacier in 1985-86). They were also adjudged the "Best Overall Fighter Squadron".
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Brip
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