SOURCE: AFI
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has retained approximately 40 retired MiG-23 fighter jets, stored under the oversight of the IAF’s Maintenance Command. While these aircraft were officially retired from active service, they have not been scrapped, indicating a strategic decision to keep them as part of a long-term reserve. The retention of these MiG-23s could serve multiple purposes, from acting as a reserve for critical components to providing platforms for training, experimentation, or even as potential sources of spare parts. Here’s a look at why the IAF may have chosen to store these aircraft and the strategic advantages this choice offers.
Maintaining combat aircraft demands a highly skilled workforce of technicians and engineers. Even though MiG-23s are retired, they still offer a valuable hands-on training platform for IAF’s technical personnel. Ground crew training on these stored MiG-23s allows technicians to practice servicing procedures, understand aircraft architecture, and gain experience in handling older Soviet-era systems, which may still be present in other IAF assets.
The stored MiG-23s provide the IAF and defense research organizations with a unique resource for experimentation and research. For instance, these aircraft can be used to test new maintenance techniques, airframe modifications, or new materials for corrosion prevention. They can also serve as platforms for live testing of weapons, avionics, or other equipment without endangering current operational aircraft. Such experimentation could offer valuable insights for the IAF’s ongoing modernization programs.
The MiG-23 played a significant role in India’s defense history, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s. Some of these stored aircraft may be earmarked for future display in air force museums or as static exhibits at air force bases, showcasing their historical significance. Keeping them in storage allows the IAF to selectively restore and display units to commemorate its rich aviation legacy.
In certain combat scenarios, retired aircraft can be used as decoys to mislead adversaries. The stored MiG-23s, for example, could be strategically placed at airbases to simulate active combat assets, which may draw enemy attention and resources away from operational aircraft. This tactic could be useful in situations requiring deception and force projection.
While unlikely, there remains the potential for some of these stored MiG-23s to be refurbished for limited operational roles. In certain contexts, like unmanned target drones or expendable assets in training exercises, the MiG-23 airframes could be modified to provide additional tactical value without extensive refurbishment costs.