{"id":309940,"date":"2026-04-11T14:56:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T12:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T22:47:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T20:47:41","slug":"die-mig-21-wurde-10-000-mal-gebaut-und-fliegt-noch-in-60-landern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/","title":{"rendered":"Die MiG-21: 10.000 St\u00fcck gebaut, in 60 L\u00e4ndern im Einsatz, immer noch im Flugbetrieb"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta svg{width:16px;height:16px}\n.mfsh-overlay{position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(15,23,32,.55);z-index:99999;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\n.mfsh-sheet{width:100%;max-width:520px;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;padding:18px 20px 28px;transform:translateY(24px);transition:transform .22s;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(15,23,32,.25);font-family:inherit;max-height:92vh;overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open .mfsh-sheet{transform:none}\n@media (min-width:640px){.mfsh-overlay{align-items:center}.mfsh-sheet{padding-bottom:20px}}\n.mfsh-head{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;margin:0 0 14px}\n.mfsh-head strong{font-size:18px;font-weight:800;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-head strong svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-close{background:none;border:0;padding:6px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;color:#0F1720;line-height:0;box-shadow:none}\n.mfsh-close svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-preview{display:grid;grid-template-columns:96px 1fr;gap:12px;border:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:#F5F7FB;padding:10px;margin:0 0 12px;align-items:center}\n.mfsh-preview img{width:96px;height:72px;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-kicker{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5C91FF;margin:0 0 4px;line-height:1.2}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-title{font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;margin:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-list{display:grid;margin:0;padding:0}\n.mfsh-item{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:50px;width:100%;border:0;border-top:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:none;padding:0 4px;margin:0;text-align:left;font-family:inherit;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:#0F1720;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-item:hover,.mfsh-item:focus-visible{background:#F5F7FB;outline:none}\n.mfsh-item svg{width:20px;height:20px;color:#5C91FF;flex-shrink:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-item small{margin-left:auto;color:#5B6674;font-weight:500;font-size:12px}\n.mfsh-item.mfsh-done svg{color:#1E9E5A}\n.mfsh-toast{position:fixed;left:50%;bottom:32px;transform:translate(-50%,10px);background:#0F1720;color:#fff;padding:10px 16px;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;font-family:inherit;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s,transform .2s;z-index:100000}\n.mfsh-toast.mfsh-show{opacity:1;transform:translate(-50%,0)}\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.mfsh-overlay,.mfsh-sheet,.mfsh-toast,.mfsh-trigger{transition:none}}\n<\/style>\n<svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-share\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M12 3v12M8 7l4-4 4 4M5 12v8h14v-8\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"m5 5 14 14M19 5 5 19\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-wa\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 2a10 10 0 0 0-8.6 15.1L2 22l5.1-1.3A10 10 0 1 0 12 2Zm0 1.8a8.2 8.2 0 1 1-4.2 15.3l-.3-.2-3 .8.8-2.9-.2-.3A8.2 8.2 0 0 1 12 3.8Zm-3 4.4c-.2 0-.5 0-.8.4-.3.3-1 1-1 2.4s1 2.8 1.2 3c.1.2 2 3.2 5 4.4 2.5 1 3 .8 3.5.7.5 0 1.7-.7 2-1.4.2-.7.2-1.3.1-1.4l-.5-.3-2-1c-.3 0-.5-.1-.7.2l-.9 1.1c-.2.2-.3.2-.6.1-.3-.2-1.3-.5-2.4-1.5-.9-.8-1.5-1.8-1.7-2-.2-.4 0-.5.2-.7l.4-.5.3-.5v-.5l-.9-2.2c-.2-.5-.4-.5-.6-.5H9Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-x\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M17.8 3h3l-6.7 7.7L22 21h-6.2l-4.8-6.3L5.4 21h-3l7.2-8.2L2 3h6.3l4.4 5.8L17.8 3Zm-1.1 16.2h1.7L7.4 4.7H5.6l11.1 14.5Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-fb\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M13.5 22v-8h2.7l.4-3.2h-3.1V8.8c0-.9.3-1.6 1.6-1.6h1.7V4.4c-.3 0-1.3-.1-2.5-.1-2.5 0-4.1 1.5-4.1 4.2v2.3H7.4V14h2.8v8h3.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-li\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 8.5H3V21h3.5V8.5ZM4.8 3a2 2 0 1 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0-4ZM21 13.4c0-3.4-1.8-5.2-4.5-5.2-1.6 0-2.7.8-3.2 1.7V8.5H9.9V21h3.4v-6.4c0-1.7.6-2.8 2.1-2.8 1.4 0 2 1 2 2.8V21H21v-7.6Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-rd\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M22 12.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-4.1-1.7 11.7 11.7 0 0 0-5.5-1.7l1-4.5 3.1.7a1.7 1.7 0 1 0 .2-1l-3.6-.8a.5.5 0 0 0-.6.4l-1.1 5.2a11.8 11.8 0 0 0-5.8 1.7A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 3 14.3v.5c0 3.4 4 6.2 9 6.2s9-2.8 9-6.2v-.5a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 1-2.2ZM7.5 13.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 3.4 0 1.7 1.7 0 0 1-3.4 0Zm8.9 4.5c-1.2 1.2-3.4 1.3-4.4 1.3s-3.3-.1-4.4-1.3a.5.5 0 0 1 .7-.7c.7.8 2.4 1 3.7 1s2.9-.2 3.7-1a.5.5 0 0 1 .7.7Zm-.6-2.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 0-3.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 0 3.4Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-tg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M21.9 4.6 18.7 19.9c-.2 1-.9 1.3-1.7.8l-4.9-3.6-2.3 2.3c-.3.3-.5.5-1 .5l.4-5 9-8.2c.4-.3-.1-.5-.6-.2L6.4 13.5 1.6 12c-1-.3-1.1-1 .2-1.5l18.8-7.2c.9-.3 1.6.2 1.3 1.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-mail\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"M3 6h18v12H3z\"\/><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"m3 7 9 6 9-6\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-link\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M10 14a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 0l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-5.7-5.7l-1.5 1.5M14 10a4 4 0 0 0-5.7 0l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 5.7l1.5-1.5\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-more\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"5\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"19\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/symbol>\n<\/svg>\n<span class=\"mfsh-top-slot\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger\" data-mfsh-placement=\"top\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button><\/span>\n<script>\n(function(){\n  if (window.__mfsh) return; window.__mfsh = true;\n  var SECTION = 'afterburner';\n  function meta(p){ var m=document.querySelector('meta[property=\"'+p+'\"]'); return m ? m.getAttribute('content') : ''; }\n  function pageUrl(){ var c=document.querySelector('link[rel=\"canonical\"]'); return (c && c.href) || (location.origin + location.pathname); }\n  function pageTitle(){ var h=document.querySelector('h1.entry-title'); return (h && h.textContent.trim()) || meta('og:title') || document.title; }\n  function slug(){ return location.pathname.replace(\/\\\/+$\/,'').split('\/').pop() || 'home'; }\n  function kicker(){ var c=document.querySelector('.et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category tag\"], .et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category\"], a[rel=\"category tag\"]'); return 'Afterburner' + (c && c.textContent.trim() ? ' \u00b7 ' + c.textContent.trim() : ''); }\n  function shareUrl(ch, placement){ return pageUrl() + '?utm_source=share&utm_medium=' + ch + '&utm_campaign=' + SECTION + '&utm_content=sheet_' + placement; }\n  function track(ch, placement, extra){\n    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n    var ev = { event:'share', share_channel:ch, share_variant:'sheet', share_placement:placement, page_section:SECTION, content_id:slug() };\n    if (extra) for (var k in extra) ev[k]=extra[k];\n    window.dataLayer.push(ev);\n  }\n  var CH = [\n    ['whatsapp','WhatsApp','mfsh-i-wa',''],\n    ['x','X','mfsh-i-x',''],\n    ['facebook','Facebook','mfsh-i-fb',''],\n    ['linkedin','LinkedIn','mfsh-i-li',''],\n    ['reddit','Reddit','mfsh-i-rd','r\/aviation, r\/WarplanePorn'],\n    ['telegram','Telegram','mfsh-i-tg',''],\n    ['email','Email','mfsh-i-mail',''],\n    ['copy','Copy link','mfsh-i-link',''],\n    ['native','More','mfsh-i-more','Instagram, Signal, AirDrop']\n  ];\n  var overlay, toastEl, toastT, placement = 'top';\n  function build(){\n    overlay = document.createElement('div'); overlay.className = 'mfsh-overlay'; overlay.setAttribute('role','dialog'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-modal','true'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-label','Share');\n    var img = meta('og:image');\n    var items = CH.filter(function(c){ return c[0] !== 'native' || !!navigator.share; }).map(function(c){\n      return '<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-item\" data-mfsh-ch=\"'+c[0]+'\"><svg><use href=\"#'+c[2]+'\"\/><\/svg>'+c[1]+(c[3]?'<small>'+c[3]+'<\/small>':'')+'<\/button>';\n    }).join('');\n    overlay.innerHTML = '<div class=\"mfsh-sheet\"><div class=\"mfsh-head\"><strong><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share<\/strong><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-close\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-preview\">' + (img ? '<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"'+img+'\" alt=\"\">' : '<span><\/span>') + '<div><div class=\"mfsh-kicker\">'+kicker()+'<\/div><span class=\"mfsh-title\">'+pageTitle()+'<\/span><\/div><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-list\">'+items+'<\/div><\/div>';\n    document.body.appendChild(overlay);\n    toastEl = document.createElement('div'); toastEl.className = 'mfsh-toast'; document.body.appendChild(toastEl);\n    overlay.addEventListener('click', function(e){\n      if (e.target === overlay || e.target.closest('.mfsh-close')) { close(); return; }\n      var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-item'); if (b) act(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-ch'), b);\n    });\n    document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e){ if (e.key === 'Escape') close(); });\n  }\n  function open(p){ placement = p || 'top'; if (!overlay) build(); overlay.classList.add('mfsh-open'); track('open', placement); }\n  function close(){ if (overlay) overlay.classList.remove('mfsh-open'); }\n  function toast(m){ toastEl.textContent = m; toastEl.classList.add('mfsh-show'); clearTimeout(toastT); toastT = setTimeout(function(){ toastEl.classList.remove('mfsh-show'); }, 1600); }\n  function act(ch, btn){\n    var url = shareUrl(ch, placement), t = pageTitle(), enc = encodeURIComponent;\n    if (ch === 'copy') {\n      var done = function(){ toast('Link copied'); btn.classList.add('mfsh-done'); setTimeout(function(){ btn.classList.remove('mfsh-done'); close(); }, 900); };\n      track(ch, placement);\n      if (navigator.clipboard && navigator.clipboard.writeText) navigator.clipboard.writeText(url).then(done, done); else done();\n      return;\n    }\n    if (ch === 'native') {\n      track(ch, placement, { share_result:'opened' });\n      navigator.share({ title:t, text:t, url:url }).then(function(){ track('native', placement, { share_result:'completed' }); close(); }).catch(function(){});\n      return;\n    }\n    var target = {\n      whatsapp: 'https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=' + enc(t + ' ' + url),\n      x:        'https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=' + enc(t) + '&url=' + enc(url) + '&via=MiGFlug',\n      facebook: 'https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=' + enc(url),\n      linkedin: 'https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=' + enc(url),\n      reddit:   'https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=' + enc(url) + '&title=' + enc(t),\n      telegram: 'https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=' + enc(url) + '&text=' + enc(t),\n      email:    'mailto:?subject=' + enc(t) + '&body=' + enc('Thought you would like this, from Afterburner, MiGFlug\\'s magazine:\\n' + t + '\\n' + url)\n    }[ch];\n    track(ch, placement);\n    if (target) { if (ch === 'email') location.href = target; else window.open(target, '_blank', 'noopener,width=680,height=560'); }\n    close();\n  }\n  var mq = window.matchMedia('(min-width:981px)');\n  function place(){\n    var t = document.querySelector('.mfsh-trigger[data-mfsh-placement=\"top\"]'), slot = document.querySelector('.mfsh-top-slot');\n    var meta = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.et_pb_title_meta_container, .et_post_meta_wrapper .post-meta, .single .post-meta')).filter(function(m){ return m.offsetParent !== null; })[0];\n    if (!t || !slot) return;\n    if (meta && mq.matches) { meta.classList.add('mfsh-meta'); t.classList.add('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== meta) meta.appendChild(t); var a = meta.querySelector('a'); if (a) { var pr = document.createElement('span'); pr.style.cssText = 'display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;vertical-align:baseline'; a.appendChild(pr); var base = pr.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; pr.remove(); var fs = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(a).fontSize) || 14, mb = meta.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; t.style.bottom = Math.max(0, mb - (base + fs * 0.12)) + 'px'; } }\n    else { t.classList.remove('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== slot) slot.appendChild(t); }\n  }\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', place); else place(); window.addEventListener('load', place); if (document.fonts && document.fonts.ready) document.fonts.ready.then(place); window.addEventListener('resize', place);\n  if (mq.addEventListener) mq.addEventListener('change', place); else mq.addListener(place);\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){ var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-trigger'); if (b) { e.preventDefault(); open(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-placement') || 'top'); } });\n})();\n<\/script><!-- \/mfsh:top -->\n\n\nNo supersonic fighter in history has been built in greater numbers. No jet has served in more air forces, fought in more wars, or lasted longer in frontline service. The Mikoyan-Gurevich <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/mig-21-fishbed\">MiG-21<\/a> \u2014 NATO codename Fishbed \u2014 first flew in 1955, entered production in 1959, and in 2026, seven decades later, still flies in the colours of several nations. It is the most extraordinary career in the history of military aviation.\n\nOver 11,000 MiG-21s were built. They served in roughly 60 countries across four continents. They fought over Vietnam, the Sinai, the Golan Heights, the India-Pakistan border, Angola, Ethiopia, Iraq, Syria, and a dozen other conflicts. The Fishbed is not just an aircraft. It is a chapter of the Cold War that refuses to end.\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4f8;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:18px 0 28px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;color:#333;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First Flight:<\/strong> June 16, 1955<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Production:<\/strong> ~11,496 total (USSR: 10,645 \/ India: 657 \/ Czechoslovakia: 194)<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Chinese Copies:<\/strong> ~2,400 (Chengdu <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/chengdu-j-7\">J-7<\/a>\/F-7, built 1966\u20132013)<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Operators:<\/strong> ~60 countries<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Top Speed:<\/strong> Mach 2.05<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Last Major Retirement:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/indian-air-force\/\">Indian Air Force<\/a>, September 2025<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Still Active:<\/strong> Several nations (2026)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Born in the Supersonic Age<\/h2>\n\nThe MiG-21 was designed in the early 1950s, when the Soviet Union and the United States were racing to build the first generation of supersonic fighters. The Korean War had shown that jet combat was the future, and both sides wanted aircraft that could fly faster than sound, climb like rockets, and intercept enemy bombers before they reached their targets.\n\nThe Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau\u2019s answer was elegant in its simplicity. The MiG-21 was small \u2014 barely 15 metres long \u2014 light, and fast. Its delta wing and single Tumansky turbojet engine gave it a top speed of Mach 2.05 and a rate of climb that could put it at 50,000 feet in minutes. It was not designed for long-range combat or heavy payloads. It was designed to get off the ground fast, sprint to the intercept, and kill the target. Everything else was secondary.\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/9\/9d\/MiG-21_RB12.jpg\/960px-MiG-21_RB12.jpg\" alt=\"MiG-21 in flight\" style=\"display:block;width:100%!important;max-width:100%!important;height:auto!important;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A MiG-21 in flight. Over 11,000 were built across four countries, making it the most-produced supersonic jet in history. Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\nThe aircraft first flew on June 16, 1955, and entered Soviet Air Force service in 1959. Within a decade, it was everywhere.\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Cold War\u2019s Export Fighter<\/h2>\n\nWhat made the MiG-21 unique was not just its performance \u2014 it was its availability. The Soviet Union used the Fishbed as a tool of foreign policy, exporting it to allied nations across the developing world. Egypt, Syria, Iraq, India, Cuba, North Vietnam, Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, North Korea \u2014 if a country aligned with Moscow during the Cold War, it almost certainly received MiG-21s.\n\nThe economics were part of the appeal. The MiG-21 was cheap to build, cheap to maintain, and simple to operate. It did not require the extensive ground infrastructure that Western fighters demanded. It could operate from short, rough runways. Its systems were robust and easy to repair with basic tools. For air forces with limited budgets and limited training pipelines, the Fishbed was often the only supersonic fighter they could realistically operate.\n\nChina took the concept even further. After receiving a licence to produce the MiG-21 in the 1960s, China developed its own version \u2014 the Chengdu J-7 (export designation F-7) \u2014 and built approximately 2,400 of them between 1966 and 2013. Chinese-built Fishbed derivatives served in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Tanzania, and a dozen other countries, extending the type\u2019s reach far beyond Moscow\u2019s original sphere of influence.\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Combat Record: Vietnam to Syria<\/h2>\n\nThe MiG-21\u2019s combat record is as sprawling as its operator list. North Vietnamese pilots flying MiG-21s against American <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-4-phantom-ii\">F-4<\/a> Phantoms and <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-105-thunderchief\">F-105<\/a> Thunderchiefs over the skies of Hanoi became some of the most studied engagements in the history of air combat. The Fishbed\u2019s small size, agility, and ability to accelerate quickly made it a dangerous opponent in a turning fight \u2014 especially when flown by skilled pilots who understood its strengths.\n\nIn the Middle East, Egyptian and Syrian MiG-21s fought Israeli Mirages and Phantoms across multiple wars. Indian MiG-21s clashed with Pakistani <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-104-starfighter\">F-104<\/a> Starfighters and <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-86-sabre\">F-86<\/a> Sabres. In Africa, Cuban-piloted MiG-21s fought South African forces in Angola. The Fishbed saw combat on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.\n\nThe results were mixed \u2014 the MiG-21 was not always the best fighter in the sky, especially against later Western types. But it was always there. Its sheer numbers and global distribution meant that for decades, any pilot flying a Western fighter anywhere in the world had to be prepared to face a Fishbed.\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Seven Decades and Counting<\/h2>\n\nIndia, the largest non-Soviet operator, finally retired its last MiG-21s in September 2025 after more than sixty years of service. The Indian Air Force\u2019s relationship with the Fishbed was long, proud, and occasionally tragic \u2014 the type earned the grim nickname \"Flying Coffin\" due to a series of crashes over the decades, many attributed to ageing airframes and maintenance challenges rather than design flaws.\n\nBut several nations still fly the MiG-21 or its Chinese-built derivatives in 2026. The type\u2019s longevity is a testament to its fundamental design: simple, rugged, and adaptable enough to accept modern avionics upgrades that keep it minimally relevant even in an era of stealth fighters and beyond-visual-range missiles.\n\nAt MiGFlug, we know the MiG-21 intimately \u2014 it is one of the jets we offer to civilians who want to experience supersonic flight firsthand. <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/mig-21-launch\/\" target=\"_blank\">You can fly a MiG-21 with MiGFlug<\/a> and feel the raw power of the most-produced supersonic jet in history for yourself.\n\nTen thousand built. Sixty countries. Seven decades. No fighter jet in history has a story like the Fishbed.\n\n<p style=\"font-style:italic;color:#888;margin-top:32px\">Sources: Wikipedia, Military Factory, HistoryNet, National Interest, Global Military<\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<!-- mf-faq -->\n\n<div class=\"mf-faq-block\"><style>.mf-faq-block{margin:34px 0}.mf-faq-item:not([open]) .mf-faq-answer{display:none !important}.mf-faq-block h2.mf-faq-h{padding-top:22px;margin-bottom:14px}.mf-faq-item{border:1px solid #e2e8f5;border-radius:8px;margin:0 0 10px;background:#fff}.mf-faq-item summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;padding:15px 50px 15px 18px;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;position:relative;line-height:1.45;user-select:none}.mf-faq-item summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mf-faq-item summary::after{content:\"+\";position:absolute;right:18px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);font-size:1.5em;font-weight:400;color:#5C91FF;line-height:1}.mf-faq-item[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mf-faq-item[open] summary{border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f8}.mf-faq-item summary:hover{background:#f5f8ff}.mf-faq-answer{padding:14px 18px;color:#333;line-height:1.6}.mf-faq-answer p{margin:0}.mf-faq-answer a{color:#5C91FF}<\/style><h2 class=\"mf-faq-h\">Related Questions<\/h2><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What is the MiG-21?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MiG-21 is a Soviet supersonic jet fighter, NATO codename \"Fishbed,\" designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau. It first flew in 1955 and became the most-produced supersonic aircraft in history, with over 11,000 built. Small, light and fast, it was designed to sprint to an intercept, and it remains in limited service in 2026.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>How many MiG-21s were built?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>Roughly 11,496 MiG-21s were built \u2014 about 10,645 in the USSR, 657 in India and 194 in Czechoslovakia \u2014 making it the most-produced supersonic jet ever. China built around 2,400 more as the Chengdu J-7\/F-7 between 1966 and 2013. No other supersonic fighter has been manufactured in greater numbers.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>How fast is the MiG-21?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MiG-21 has a top speed of about Mach 2.05, roughly twice the speed of sound. Its delta wing and single Tumansky turbojet gave it a blistering rate of climb, able to reach 50,000 feet in minutes. It was built to intercept enemy bombers quickly rather than fly long-range missions.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>When did the MiG-21 first fly?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MiG-21 first flew on June 16, 1955, and entered Soviet Air Force service in 1959. Within a decade it had spread to air forces across the developing world. Seven decades later, in 2026, several nations still operate the type \u2014 an almost unmatched career in military aviation.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>How many countries have used the MiG-21?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MiG-21 has served in roughly 60 countries across four continents. The Soviet Union used it as a tool of foreign policy, exporting it to allies including Egypt, Syria, Iraq, India, Cuba, North Vietnam and North Korea. Several of these <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/north-korea-air-force-kpaaf-mig-29-ghost-fleet\/\">Soviet-aligned air forces<\/a> still fly Cold War-era MiGs today.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>Is the MiG-21 still in service?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>Yes. Although India retired its last MiG-21s in September 2025, several nations still operated the type in 2026, seven decades after its first flight. Its longevity comes from low cost, simple maintenance and rugged design. For how such jets fit into <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/military-aviation-history-zeppelin-to-sixth-generation\/\">the wider history of military aviation<\/a>, see our overview.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What is the NATO codename for the MiG-21?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The NATO reporting name for the MiG-21 is \"Fishbed.\" NATO assigned codenames beginning with \"F\" to Soviet fighters to make them easier to identify than their numeric designations. The Fishbed became one of the most recognised shapes of the Cold War, familiar from conflicts across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What wars did the MiG-21 fight in?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The MiG-21 saw combat in Vietnam, the Arab-Israeli wars over the Sinai and Golan Heights, the India-Pakistan conflicts, and wars in Angola, Ethiopia, Iraq and Syria, among others. Few aircraft have fought in more conflicts. Its mix of speed and availability made it the standard fighter of Soviet-aligned nations.<\/p><\/div><\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\"><summary>What is the Chengdu J-7?<\/summary><div class=\"mf-faq-answer\"><p>The Chengdu J-7 (export designation F-7) is a Chinese-built copy of the MiG-21. China produced roughly 2,400 of them between 1966 and 2013, long after Soviet production ended. The J-7 extended the basic MiG-21 design's service life by decades and was itself widely exported around the world.<\/p><\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the MiG-21?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MiG-21 is a Soviet supersonic jet fighter, NATO codename \\\"Fishbed,\\\" designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau. It first flew in 1955 and became the most-produced supersonic aircraft in history, with over 11,000 built. Small, light and fast, it was designed to sprint to an intercept, and it remains in limited service in 2026.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many MiG-21s were built?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Roughly 11,496 MiG-21s were built \u2014 about 10,645 in the USSR, 657 in India and 194 in Czechoslovakia \u2014 making it the most-produced supersonic jet ever. China built around 2,400 more as the Chengdu J-7\/F-7 between 1966 and 2013. No other supersonic fighter has been manufactured in greater numbers.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How fast is the MiG-21?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MiG-21 has a top speed of about Mach 2.05, roughly twice the speed of sound. Its delta wing and single Tumansky turbojet gave it a blistering rate of climb, able to reach 50,000 feet in minutes. It was built to intercept enemy bombers quickly rather than fly long-range missions.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did the MiG-21 first fly?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MiG-21 first flew on June 16, 1955, and entered Soviet Air Force service in 1959. Within a decade it had spread to air forces across the developing world. Seven decades later, in 2026, several nations still operate the type \u2014 an almost unmatched career in military aviation.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many countries have used the MiG-21?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MiG-21 has served in roughly 60 countries across four continents. The Soviet Union used it as a tool of foreign policy, exporting it to allies including Egypt, Syria, Iraq, India, Cuba, North Vietnam and North Korea. Several of these <a href=\\\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/north-korea-air-force-kpaaf-mig-29-ghost-fleet\/\\\">Soviet-aligned air forces<\/a> still fly Cold War-era MiGs today.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the MiG-21 still in service?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Although India retired its last MiG-21s in September 2025, several nations still operated the type in 2026, seven decades after its first flight. Its longevity comes from low cost, simple maintenance and rugged design. For how such jets fit into <a href=\\\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/military-aviation-history-zeppelin-to-sixth-generation\/\\\">the wider history of military aviation<\/a>, see our overview.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the NATO codename for the MiG-21?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The NATO reporting name for the MiG-21 is \\\"Fishbed.\\\" NATO assigned codenames beginning with \\\"F\\\" to Soviet fighters to make them easier to identify than their numeric designations. The Fishbed became one of the most recognised shapes of the Cold War, familiar from conflicts across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What wars did the MiG-21 fight in?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MiG-21 saw combat in Vietnam, the Arab-Israeli wars over the Sinai and Golan Heights, the India-Pakistan conflicts, and wars in Angola, Ethiopia, Iraq and Syria, among others. Few aircraft have fought in more conflicts. Its mix of speed and availability made it the standard fighter of Soviet-aligned nations.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the Chengdu J-7?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Chengdu J-7 (export designation F-7) is a Chinese-built copy of the MiG-21. China produced roughly 2,400 of them between 1966 and 2013, long after Soviet production ended. The J-7 extended the basic MiG-21 design's service life by decades and was itself widely exported around the world.\"}}]}<\/script><!-- \/mf-faq -->\n\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-f-4-phantom-worlds-leading-distributor-of-mig-parts\/\">The F-4 Phantom: World\u2019s Leading Distributor of MiG Parts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story No supersonic fighter in history has been built in greater numbers. No jet has served in more air forces, fought in more wars, or lasted longer in frontline service. The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 \u2014 NATO codename Fishbed \u2014 first flew in 1955, entered production in 1959, and in 2026, seven decades later, still [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":309943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[666,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-309940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-legends","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying | Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"No supersonic fighter in history has been built in greater numbers. No jet has served in more air forces, fought in more wars, or lasted longer in\u2026\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/die-mig-21-wurde-10-000-mal-gebaut-und-fliegt-noch-in-60-landern\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"de_DE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying | Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"No supersonic fighter in history has been built in greater numbers. No jet has served in more air forces, fought in more wars, or lasted longer in\u2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/die-mig-21-wurde-10-000-mal-gebaut-und-fliegt-noch-in-60-landern\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-11T12:56:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-02T20:47:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"867\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MiGFlug Team\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MiGFlug Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"MiGFlug Team\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c1785569b9447ee5ae5ce4290fae5891\"},\"headline\":\"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-11T12:56:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-02T20:47:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1412,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"History &amp; Legends\",\"Military Aviation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/\",\"name\":\"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying | Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-11T12:56:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-02T20:47:41+00:00\",\"description\":\"No supersonic fighter in history has been built in greater numbers. No jet has served in more air forces, fought in more wars, or lasted longer in\u2026\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":867,\"caption\":\"MiG-21 Fishbed History\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c1785569b9447ee5ae5ce4290fae5891\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug Team\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MiGFlug Team\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/de\\\/author\\\/mike4mig\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Die MiG-21: 10.000 St\u00fcck gebaut, in 60 L\u00e4ndern im Einsatz, immer noch im Flug | Afterburner \u2013 MiGFlug Magazin","description":"Kein \u00dcberschallj\u00e4ger in der Geschichte wurde in gr\u00f6\u00dferer St\u00fcckzahl gebaut. Kein Jet diente in mehr Luftwaffen, k\u00e4mpfte in mehr Kriegen oder hielt sich l\u00e4nger im Einsatz\u2026","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/die-mig-21-wurde-10-000-mal-gebaut-und-fliegt-noch-in-60-landern\/","og_locale":"de_DE","og_type":"article","og_title":"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying | Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","og_description":"No supersonic fighter in history has been built in greater numbers. No jet has served in more air forces, fought in more wars, or lasted longer in\u2026","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/die-mig-21-wurde-10-000-mal-gebaut-und-fliegt-noch-in-60-landern\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-11T12:56:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-02T20:47:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":867,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"MiGFlug Team","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MiGFlug Team","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/"},"author":{"name":"MiGFlug Team","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/c1785569b9447ee5ae5ce4290fae5891"},"headline":"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying","datePublished":"2026-04-11T12:56:28+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-02T20:47:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/"},"wordCount":1412,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg","articleSection":["History &amp; Legends","Military Aviation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/","name":"Die MiG-21: 10.000 St\u00fcck gebaut, in 60 L\u00e4ndern im Einsatz, immer noch im Flug | Afterburner \u2013 MiGFlug Magazin","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-11T12:56:28+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-02T20:47:41+00:00","description":"Kein \u00dcberschallj\u00e4ger in der Geschichte wurde in gr\u00f6\u00dferer St\u00fcckzahl gebaut. Kein Jet diente in mehr Luftwaffen, k\u00e4mpfte in mehr Kriegen oder hielt sich l\u00e4nger im Einsatz\u2026","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/mig-21-fishbed-history.jpg","width":1280,"height":867,"caption":"MiG-21 Fishbed History"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/the-mig-21-10000-built-60-countries-still-flying\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The MiG-21: 10,000 Built, 60 Countries, Still Flying"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner \u2013 MiGFlugs Magazin","description":"F\u00fcr alle, die sich f\u00fcr das Fliegen von Milit\u00e4rjets und verwandte Luftfahrtthemen interessieren.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/c1785569b9447ee5ae5ce4290fae5891","name":"MiGFlug-Team","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MiGFlug Team"},"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/author\/mike4mig\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309940","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309940"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309940\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26213814,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309940\/revisions\/26213814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}