This is Most Produced Supersonic Fighter Aircraft in the World

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At its peak of production, one MiG-21 was rolling out every single day. More than 11,000 units were ultimately built, making it the most produced supersonic fighter in history. No fighter aircraft that could exceed Mach 1 has matched MiG-21’s production numbers, not even the American F-16 or F-4 Phantom II.

The MiG-21 comes from Russia, the nation that produced the Ilyushin Il-2 – the second-most produced plane ever. Much like the Il-2 (which is the most-produced plane of World War II) was at its time, MiG-21 has a combination of simplicity, affordability, and global reach. These have helped MiG-21s secure their place in military aviation history.

Most Produced Supersonic Aircraft

The MiG-21 began as a response to a straightforward Soviet requirement in the early 1950s: a lightweight, high-speed interceptor capable of countering Western aircraft.

Mikoyan-Gurevich’s design bureau had already experimented with several swept- and delta-wing prototypes before arriving at what became the MiG-21.

The Soviet Union sought more than cutting-edge performance. Unlike the United States, which often built complex, expensive aircraft, Soviet doctrine prioritized designs that could be mass-produced, easily maintained, and flown by large numbers of pilots with limited training. The MiG-21 fits this approach.

Key Milestones in Development

The MiG-21’s long production run was possible because of its continuous modernization. Different variants expanded their mission set from pure interceptor to multi-role fighter.

1955: First flight of prototype Ye-4.
1959: Official introduction of MiG-21F into Soviet service.
1961: MiG-21PF introduced with radar capability.
1965: MiG-21FL built under license in India, marking the start of large-scale international production.
1972: MiG-21bis variant introduced, the most powerful and versatile of the series.
1985: Production continues in China as the Chengdu J-7, extending the design’s life.

Design Features That Enabled Mass Production

The MiG-21 was not the most advanced aircraft of its time, but it embodied trade-offs that made it practical and scalable.

The most notable of these features was the Delta Wing, which “is structurally effective due to its long root chord and little outboard construction”.

The wing structure allows the MiG-21 to fly at supersonic speeds while remaining structurally simple. MiG-21’s small airframe meant that it was lighter and cheaper to build (compared to larger fighters).

Finally, this fighter jet could operate from rough airstrips with limited maintenance, giving it an edge for export customers.

Table: MiG-21 Basic Specifications (MiG-21bis variant)

Specification	Value
Length	15.76 m
Wingspan	7.15 m
Height	4.1 m
Empty Weight	5,350 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight	9,800 kg
Engine	Tumansky R-25-300 turbojet
Maximum Speed	Mach 2.05
Combat Range	~370 km (with drop tanks ~1,210 km)
Service Ceiling	17,500 m
Armament	1 × 23 mm cannon, 2,000 kg of ordnance

Global Production and Licensing of the MiG-21

The Soviet Union did not keep the MiG-21 solely for its own use. It aggressively exported the aircraft to allied nations under the Warsaw Pact and beyond. Licensed production was another key factor in the numbers.

One of the more prolific nations where the MiG-21 is deployed includes India, where more than 600 MiG-21s have been built under license at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Although we should note that the MiG-21 has been called the Flying Coffin in Indian defense aviation, as around 200 pilots have lost their lives in the nearly 400 crashes involving the MiG-21.

India had acquired its first batch of 13 MiG-21s in 1963. According to NDTV, the Indian Air Force was “looking for a high-altitude interceptor designed to counter aircraft like the American U-2 spy plane” when it introduced the MiG-21 in its fleet. Some of the missions where India has deployed its MiG-21s include:

The war with Pakistan in 1971, where the aircraft scored kills against Pakistani F-104 Starfighters.
1980s in Sri Lanka, for reconnaissance and air cover and reconnaissance purposes [as peacekeeping forces].
As a response to the Pulwama attacks in 2019, India launched precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan.

In China, for example, thousands of copies of the MiG–21 have been made (as the Chengdu J-7). More than 2,400 J-7s have been produced. This aircraft is deployed by the Iraqi Air Force, the Egyptian Air Force, among other nations.

Czechoslovakia has also domestically produced MiG-21F-13 and PF variants. The strategy of keeping the MiG-21’s licensing costs low ensured that the aircraft became the standard supersonic fighter for dozens of air forces.

The MiG-21 is almost synonymous with Cold War air combat. It was used extensively in conflicts spanning multiple continents, some of which included:

In the Vietnam War, it was flown by the North Vietnamese Air Force against American F-4 Phantoms and F-105 Thunderchiefs. It has been reported that “MiG-21s shot down somewhere around 203 F-4 Phantoms, whereas the F-4 Phantoms only shot down 54 MiG-21s”
In the Middle East, MiG-21s saw action with Egypt and Syria in wars against Israel.
In Africa, MiG-21s were used in Angola, Ethiopia, and several other regional conflicts.

Its widespread use in combat further cemented its reputation. The aircraft was not always dominant, but it provided a supersonic capability to nations that otherwise could not have afforded one.

Why It Outproduced Its Rivals

The MiG-21’s outstanding production numbers can be attributed to a combination of four factors that most competitors lacked simultaneously. The first of these was the affordability. The MiG-21, due to the communist policies in the USSR, was cheaper to produce than Western fighters.

The USSR had also hoped that its supersonic airliner Tu-144 would be able to outperform its western rival, the Concorde, because of the very reason that kept the costs of the MiG-21s low. Key.Aero reports that for “every single F-4 Phantom produced, Mikoyan-Gurevich could produce at least three MiG-21s”.

MiG-21s were also easy to fly and maintain, suiting nations with limited infrastructure. According to Diwas Pokharel, an aerospace engineer, who completed a portion of his study of wind tunnel in Itskurk, Russian aircraft were known for their staggeringly low maintenance costs.

Finally, the MiG-21 was able to adapt to new weapons and missions. Finally, one also has to attribute the reach of the MiG-21 to over 50 countries, from Cuba to North Korea, to the widespread wings of the USSR.

By contrast, the F-4 Phantom II, which was widely built and exported, reached just over 5,000 units. The F-16, though surpassing 4,600 units, began production much later and at a higher cost.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that these mechanical birds were also more expensive to maintain. On the brighter side, these more expensive rivals of the MiG-21s have a smaller crash rate.

Legacy and Longevity of the MiG-21

It is a testament to the USSR’s engineering capabilities that a product like the MiG-21, designed in the 1950s design continued active service well into the 21st century.

China’s J-7 derivative was only retired from frontline service in the 2010s, and the J-7s were manufactured until 2013.

India is one of the several air forces that continued to fly upgraded versions, as the nation has 36 MiG-21 variants in its fleet. Bison, the final variant of the MiG-21 that had upgraded electronics and a better navigation and communications system, is set to be phased out. This variant is also equipped with the following:

Russian R-77 and R-73 missiles
An Israeli jammer
A helmet-mounted sight
A partial glass cockpit

The remaining number of 36 MiG-21 variants in India is far smaller than the fleet of 900 MiG-21s this nation has operated.

Nevertheless, the fact that a supersonic fighter jet could be built as quickly and in massive quantities, coupled with the Soviet Union’s global proliferation, has ensured that the MiG-21’s influence on aerial warfare, pilot training, and export policy is unmatched by any other supersonic fighter.

Bottom Line

The MiG-21’s story is one of paradox. This Soviet aeronautical ingenuity produced 11,000 units, yet saw an extraordinary number of plane crashes, earning it the unwanted moniker of the “flying coffin,” a distinction it shares with the Consolidated B-24 heavy bomber.

As the last operational MiG-21s head toward retirement in India, which plans to phase them out by 2025, one can safely say that aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 (with over 2,200 units already delivered and projected totals exceeding 3,000), China’s Chengdu J-10 and J-20, and Russia’s Su-35 and Su-57, will supplant the MiG-21. Its numbers, however, may never be numerically surpassed.

MiG-21’s NATO reporting name is ‘Fishbed’. It has also been christened ‘Balalaika’ as its planform resembles the eponymous musical instrument, while the Polish refer to it as ‘Ołówek’ (which is Polish for pencil) as the shape of the fuselage of this aircraft resembles a pencil. The Vietnamese call it ‘Én Bạc’, which means ‘silver swallow’.

It would also be difficult to come across a plane that has been so multifariously named. Or the fact that the MiG-21 remains the plane to has been involved in more conflicts than any other plane in history.

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