Israelis give Russian MiG-21 a new lease on life

The Russian-designed MiG-21 jet fighter, which saw front-line duty in the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries in the 1960s and `70s, is getting a new lease on life, courtesy of a major avionics upgrade from engineers at the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Lahav Division in Tel Aviv, Israel. Lahav designers are flight testing what they call MiG-21 2000, which includes a new avionics suite of two multi-function liquid crystal color displays, IAI Elta EL/M2032 multi-mode fire-control radar, and other modern avionics components. Lahav engineers specialize in overhauling obsolescent military aircraft to give them modern capabilities. Among the aircraft they have upgraded are the F-4 Phantom, F-5 Tiger, and T-38 Talon jet fighters.