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Tony Osborne
December 02, 2024
Credit: Croatian Ministry of Defense
Mikoyan’s MiG-21 has stepped down from patrolling the skies of Europe after Croatia finally withdrew the type from the air policing mission.
As of Dec. 1, Zagreb has temporarily handed over the peacetime protection of Croatia’s airspace to Hungary and Italy as it readies its new fleet of former French Dassault Rafales for operational service.
Croatia is the last bastion of the MiG-21 in Europe. Although the type will no longer be used for the country’s air policing, it will remain in service for a few more weeks until those airframes still in use run out of hours.
Romania, another major MiG-21 operator, retired the type in May 2023.
To replace the Soviet-era type, Zagreb has acquired 12 Rafales, seven of which have been delivered. The latest arrived in late November.
Hungary and Italy will provide air policing for Croatia until the end of 2025, when the Rafales should be able to take over.
Retirement of the MiG-21 will mark the beginning of the end for Soviet-era fighter aircraft in Europe. MiG-29s are still in operation in Bulgaria, Poland and Serbia, with the type’s replacement already sought or on order in the form of Lockheed Martin F-16s, Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50s and Dassault Rafales.
Tony Osborne
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Publish date : 2024-12-01 16:00:00
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