Eduard | No. 84130 -

Описание: MiG-21bisD – Croatian Air Force, Eskadrila Borbenih AvionaZagreb–Pleso, December 2016

Croatia first acquired 40 MiG-21bis fighters and MiG-21UM trainers from Ukraine in 1995. These jets carried the Air Force through its post-war rebuilding period — and over the years, several modernization programs kept them alive well into the 2010s.
In 2003, eight airframes were upgraded in Romania to the bisD standard, receiving new navigation, communication and IFF systems. A second modernization followed in 2014, combining upgraded Croatian aircraft with five additional airframes sourced from a repair facility in Odessa.

All modernized MiG-21bisD/UMD aircraft received an all-grey camouflage scheme, and aircraft 116 was specially marked with a bold “25” on its tail to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Croatian Air Force.

The MiG-21bis itself was the final and most powerful evolution of the Fishbed family — equipped with the Tumansky R-25 engine, improved radar, increased fuel capacity, and the ability to carry a wide range of missiles, rockets and bombs.

Even decades after its debut, the legendary MiG-21 still served as Croatia’s sharp edge in the sky.

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