page_title: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
section_title: Former operators
hierarchical_section_title: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 / Operators / Former operators
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Eine MiG-21UMauf der Radom-Airshow 2002.English: A MiG-21UM Mongol-B trainer aircraft at Rodom air show 2002.Polski: MiG-21UM 9292 na stoisku samolotów podczas AirShow 2002 w Radomiu.
context_page_description: The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nicknames include: Balalaika, because its planform resembles the stringed musical instrument of the same name; Ołówek, Polish for "pencil", due to the shape of its fuselage, and Én Bạc, meaning "Silver Swallow", in Vietnamese.
  Approximately 60 countries over 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.
context_section_description:  Afghanistan
  Afghan Air Force
   Algeria
  Algerian Air Force
   Bangladesh
  Bangladesh Air Force
   Belarus
  Belarusian Air Force
   Bulgaria
  Bulgarian Air Force
   Burkina Faso
  Burkina Faso Air Force
   Cambodia
  Royal Cambodian Air Force
   China: (Replaced by similar-looking Chengdu J-7. Other than MiG-21F13 supplied by Soviet Union, China also traded a small amount of MiG-21MFs with J-7 export variations, then developed J-7C/D based on MiG-21MFs. The deal was between China and a certain Middle Eastern country. In May 2013, Official publication from Chengdu Aircraft Corp reported J-7 production has been ceased after decades of manufacturing variations of this Chinese made MiG-21.)
   Congo, Republic of the
  Congolese Air Force - 14, in storage
   Czechoslovakia
  Czechoslovak People's Air Force: (passed on to the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
   Czech Republic
  Czech Air Force
   East Germany
  Air Forces of the National People's Army: (passed on to Germany after reunification)
   Eritrea
  Eritrean Air Force
   Ethiopia
  Ethiopian Air Force
   Finland
  Finnish Air Force
   Germany
  Luftwaffe
   Georgia
  Georgian Air Force
   Hungary
  Hungarian Air Force: 261 MiG-21 bis
   Indonesia
  Indonesian Air Force
   Iran
  Iranian Air Force: Purchased 12 ex-East German MiG-21PFMs plus four MiG-21Us for training purposes. However, only two MiG-21Us were delivered, the others being embargoed after German reunification.
   Iraq
  Iraqi Air Force: (In Saddam Hussein's Era)
   Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
  Afghan National Air Corps
   ISIL
  Military of ISIL: quantity 19 (1 operational). Originally 3 in operational condition. The Syrian Air Force claimed to have shot down two of them. Other airframes are in various states of disrepair and some of them were being overhauled at the time of their capture.
   Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstan Air and Air Defence Force
   Laos
  Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
   Mongolia
  Mongolian Air Force
   Madagascar
  Madagascar Air Force
   Namibia
  Namibian Air Force
   Nigeria
  Nigerian Air Force
   Poland
  Polish Air Force
  Polish Naval Aviation
   Russia
  Russian Air Force
   Serbia and Montenegro
  Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro (passed on to Serbia)
   Slovakia
  Slovak Air Force In 1993, after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Slovak Air Force obtained 13 MiG-21MAs, 36 MiG-21MFs, eight MiG-21Rs, two MiG-21USs and 11 MiG-21UMs. They were withdrawn in 2003. Some of them are in museums across the country, some are stored and will be destroyed.
   Somalia
  Somali Air Force
   Soviet Union: (passed on to several successor states)
  Soviet Air Force
  Soviet Air Defence Force
  Soviet Naval Aviation
   Tanzania
  Tanzanian Air Force
   Turkmenistan
  Turkmen Air Force
   United States – Retired from United States Air Force after evaluation flights under "Have Doughnut" and aggressor squadron duty.
   Ukraine
  Ukrainian Air Force
   Vietnam
  Vietnam People's Air Force Retired from service in November 2015, put in temporary storage while the Air Force searches for a replacement, possibly the Sukhoi Su-35 or even the American F-16.
   Yugoslavia
  Yugoslav Air Force (Passed on to Serbia and Montenegro.)
   Zaire (Four were sold to the Zairean government by FR Yugoslavia but never flew.)
caption: Two seater MiG-21UM, Polish Air Force, markings of 3rd Tactical Sqn.
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