Kargil Vijay Diwas: IAF and the role of Fighter Jets in Kargil War against Pakistan

The Kargil Vijay Day 2022: In 1999, the powerful Indian Air Force's arsenal of fighter jets contributed to India's 23-year victory in the conflict by giving Indian forces an advantage over Pakistani spies.

Today, July 26, India is commemorating the Kargil Vijay Diwas 2022, which marks the country's victory over Pakistani infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir 23 years ago. Every year, this day is celebrated to honor the soldiers who successfully engaged in high-altitude combat and defended their nation.

It was a joint military action against Pakistan, but the decisive and crucial role was played by the Indian Air Force. The mission was named Operation Safed Sagar. And this operation will go down in IAF history as the greatest successful combat action for the winged forces of India. Although the most important part was played by the ground forces, IAF's strategic air strikes can never be forgotten.

The formidable IAF fleet and its plan helped India gain the upper hand over the Pakistani infiltrators, who were occupying a strategic high ground over the perilous mountain terrain and posing a challenge for the ground forces. In order to intimidate the Pakistani Air Force, which chose not to participate in the conflict, India sent out its fleet of fighter jets, including the MiG-29, MiG-21, MiG-27, and Mirage-2000, as well as its helicopter fleet. Here is a look at the Indian Air Force fighter jets that helped India defeat Pakistan:

Mirage-2000

Dassault Aviation, a French aircraft manufacturer, produces the multipurpose combat fighter known as the Mirage 2000. It was chosen by Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Qatar, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates and has been used by the French Air Force since 1984.

The SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan engine used by the Mirage 2000 produces 64kN of thrust and 98kN with afterburn. An adjustable half-cone-shaped center body that generates an inclined shock of air pressure for extremely efficient air input is installed in the air intakes.

MiG-29

The Mikoyan Design Bureau of the former USSR produced the MiG-29 in the 1970's to compete with the F-15 and F-16 planes of the United States. Because the Pakistani Air Force's F-16, which it obtained from the US, lacked long-range air-to-air missiles, it decided not to cross the border during the Kargil War, giving India an advantage over ground forces.There are two RD-33 turbofan engines in the MiG-29.

As an Air Superiority Fighter, the MiG-29 is outfitted with visible range air-to-air missiles (BVR). The MiG-29 prevented the PAF from entering Indian territory, despite the fact that it mostly carried out surveillance and support missions and was not directly involved in carrying out attacks.

The engines' top speed at altitude is 2,400 km/h, while their ground speed is 1,500 km/h, and their service ceiling is 18,000 m. At altitude, the greatest range is 1,500 km, and it is 700 km close to the ground. According to a contract inked in January 2007, RD-33 engines for MiG-29 aircraft used by the Indian Air Force will be developed under licence in India.

MiG-21

Although the MiG-21, another Mikoyan product, has developed a bad reputation through time and is the oldest fighter jet from the 1960s still in service, it is one of the IAF's most crucial workhorses and has occasionally proven its usefulness. The MiG-21 was designed primarily for air interception with a secondary duty for ground attack. Because of its ability to operate in confined places and the challenging terrain of the Kargil War, the MiG-21 was crucial.

Actually, MiG-21 launched the first ground attacks, while MiG-29 later joined in with its Laser Guided Bombs. The MiG-21 has been modified throughout time to keep up with later generation aircraft, and in its present configuration, it aids the IAF as the first strike against any infiltration. The home-built Tejas LCA will progressively replace the MiG-21 Bison in the IAF.

The MiG-21 was first developed by the Mikoyan Design Bureau in the 1950s to take the place of the MiG-19 crash-prone aircraft. It made its first flight in 1956. It was put into service not long after it started production in 1959. The MiG-21 is the jet aircraft that has been built the most. A total of 10,000 units were made (counting Chinese production). 50 nations used the MiG-21 fighter in their military operations. Even though it is an outdated aircraft, it is still in use in about 20 different countries.

Mig-27 (Bahadur)

The capture of Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa, who was piloting the MiG-27 fighter that the Indian Air Force affectionately referred to as Bahadur, was one of the most terrifying and dreaded events of the Kargil War. The Indian Air Force (IAF) launched its first air support flights on May 26. On May 27, a MiG-27 crashed due to an engine flame-out brought on by the intake of the weapon's exhaust gas.

After a MiG-27 crashed on February 16, 2010, in West Bengal, the Indian Air Force grounded its entire fleet of more than 150 aircraft in 2010. The final two MiG-27 squadrons were decommissioned in a ceremony at Jodhpur Airbase on December 27, 2019, marking the end of the MiG-27's service with the Indian Air Force. It was created by HAL with permission from Russia.