Romanian MiG-21 crashes during airshow, killing pilot
Taken on Jul. 7, 2018 the video in this post shows a Romanian Air Force (RoAF) MiG-21 Lancer fighter jet crashing at Base 86 Borcea during Borcea Open Day, killing its pilot.
According Reuters, eyewitnesses at the airshow, attended by about 4,000 people, said the plane exploded when it hit the ground. The footage shows flames and thick smoke.
Television reports quoted witnesses as saying the pilot might have tried to avoid hitting the crowds and instead chose to crash on a nearby field.
The defense ministry said the cause of the crash, some 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Bucharest, was being investigated.
It named the dead pilot as Lieutenant-commander Florin Rotaru, 36.
Romania, a NATO member since 2004, is replacing the MiG-21s with former Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) F-16 fighter jets. Romania received its first six F-16s from Portugal in 2016.
The Lancer
In 1962 the RoAF received the first 12 MiG-21F-13, followed by another 12 of the same variant in 1963. Deliveries continued over the next years with other variants: 38 aircraft of MiG-21RFM (PF) variant in 1965, 7 MiG-21U-400/600 in 1965–1968, 56 MiG-21RFMM (PFM) in 1966–1968, 12 MiG-21R in 1968–1972, 68 MiG-21M plus 11 MiG-21US in 1969–1970, 74 MiG-21MF/MF-75 in 1972–1975, and 27 MiG-21UM in 1972–1980 plus another 5 of the same variant in 1990, for a total number of 322 aircraft.
Beginning in 1993, Russia did not offer spare parts for the MiG-23 and MiG-29 for the RoAF. Initially, this was the context for the modernization of the Romanian MiG-21s with Elbit Systems, and because it was easier to maintain these fighter jets. In 1995–2002, a total of 111 MiG-21s were modernized, of which 71 were M and MF/MF-75 variants modernized under the LanceR A designation (for ground attack), 14 were UM variant as LanceR B designation (trainer), and another 26 MF/MF-75 variant were modernized under LanceR C designation (air superiority). Today, only 36 LanceRs are operational for the RoAF. It can use both Western and Eastern armament such as the R-60M, R-73, Magic 2, or Python III missiles.
Photo credit: Adelin Petrisor
