MiG-21 LanceR

𝗠𝗶𝗚-𝟮𝟭 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗥
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Development began in the early 1950s.
Approximately 60 countries in four continents have flown the MiG-21, and it still serves many nations six decades after its maiden flight. It made aviation records, became the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history, the most-produced combat aircraft since the Korean War and previously the longest production run of a combat aircraft (now exceeded by both the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon).

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗥
The Israeli Elbit Systems company won the contract to integrate modern systems into these Cold War fighters, working together with aircraft manufacturer & maintenance company Aerostar Bacău and the Romanian Air Force. The outcome of this cooperation resulted in three versions of modernized MiG-21 aircraft that were referred to as MiG-21 LanceR. The capital R in the name LanceR refers to Romania. The prototype of the MiG-21 LanceR registered 9809 performed its first flight on 22 August 1995 and took 37 minutes. Its success cleared the way for an intense modernization process. The modernization program was originally referred to as the “DD program” meant as a tribute to the Romanian poet and novelist Doru Davidovici who was also a MiG-21 pilot and killed in a crash with a MiG-21UM in April 1989 later changed to LanceR.
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Text-source: Wikipedia / 4aviation.nl
Artist: Sascha Schindelholz
Canvas-size: 320x320px