New Delhi

Amid recent crashes involving its vintage Russian combat aircraft fleet, the Indian Air Force is now going to retire one more squadron of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft by September 30, 2022.

After this, only three squadrons of the planes would be left in service and would be phased out by the year 2025.

On Thursday evening, a MiG-21 Type 69 Trainer aircraft crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan killing both the pilots-Flight Lieutenant A Bal and Wing Commander Rana.

The IAF has been replacing the MiG-21 fighter jets with more capable aircraft like the Su-30 and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

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In the last 20 months, 6 MiG-21s have been lost in crashes in which five pilots have lost their lives.