6 days ago
MiG-21 Veterans Recall High-Altitude Kargil War Missions in Documentary
A documentary looks back at how MiG-21 fighter jets were used by India during the 1999 Kargil War.
The jets flew in a difficult mountain area called Kargil.
Pilots had to attack targets at very high altitudes, where the thin air made weapons less predictable.
They and the ground crews had to find practical ways to improve accuracy.
Former pilot B. S. Dhanoa remembered flying at night through a valley.
From the air, glowing artillery shells looked like cigarette butts to another pilot.
The MiG-21s also took photographs, defended the airspace and carried out strikes.
The documentary shares these memories from pilots and technicians who served with the aircraft.
Netflix’s The Last Salute revisits the MiG-21’s 62-year service with the Indian Air Force.
MiG-21s from the No. 17 Golden Arrows squadron flew bombing, reconnaissance and air-defence missions during Operation Safed Sagar.
Former Air Chief Marshal B. S. Dhanoa recalled engaging targets at 14,000–15,000 feet, where thin air affected weapons performance.
Dhanoa described a night strike into a valley, where visible glowing artillery shells were mistaken for cigarette butts.
Technician MWO P. K. Pandey said his unit moved from Chabua and prepared its aircraft for operations within 24 to 36 hours.
- Who
- Indian Air Force personnel, including former Air Chief Marshal B. S. Dhanoa, MWO P. K. Pandey and Wing Commander Jaideep Singh, recalled the missions.
- What
- The documentary The Last Salute revisits MiG-21 operations during Operation Safed Sagar and the aircraft’s 62-year Indian Air Force service.
- Where
- The operations took place in the high-altitude Kargil region, including valleys and areas around targets; Pandey’s unit moved from Chabua in Assam.
- When
- The missions took place during the 1999 Kargil War; The Last Salute released on Wednesday and is currently streaming on Netflix.
- Why
- The MiG-21s were used to support India’s air operations through bombing, photo reconnaissance and air defence missions.
Key facts
- Documentary
- The Last Salute: A Love Letter to MiG-21
- Platform
- Netflix
- Aircraft service
- The MiG-21 served with the Indian Air Force for 62 years.
- Operation
- Operation Safed Sagar, the Indian Air Force’s air operation during the 1999 Kargil War.
- Squadron
- No. 17 Golden Arrows
- Mission altitude
- Targets were engaged at approximately 14,000 to 15,000 feet.
- Deployment timeline
- MWO P. K. Pandey said his unit moved and prepared aircraft within 24 to 36 hours.
Quotes
Flying Officer Rajpal Singh Dhaliwal
Indian Air Force officer who reported what he saw during the night mission.
“I said no, they are not trading cigarette butts, those are shells! Because the rear half of the shell gets heated up when it gets fired out of the barrel, so you can see that red-hot glow of the rear half of the shell, and that’s how you see the whole thing.”
indianexpress.com
“To fly this aircraft and engage targets at 14,000 to 15,000 feet, the air is so rare and the weapons don’t behave in the same manner.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
Related news
Siddharth Recalls Working With IAF Pilots on 'Operation Safed Sagar'
Mihir Ahuja Reveals Kargil War’s Vast Untold Story
Abhay Verma Recalls Sitting in Real MiG-21 for Series
The Last Salute Celebrates MiG-21’s Six-Decade Indian Air Force Legacy
Mihir Ahuja on Operation Safed Sagar: Shooting in MiG-21 cockpits
Anand Mahindra hails Netflix's Kargil War drama 'Operation Safed Sagar'
Kargil Opens Second Passport Seva Kendra for Easier Access
Kargil Alliance Backs March Marking Leh Protest Deaths
Kargil Leaders Back Ladakh Statehood and Justice March
Dagdusheth Ganpati Replicas Bring Ganeshotsav To Border Troops
Manu Rishi Chadha Reveals Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Help Playing Musharraf
