AirForces Monthly – June 2018

All 22 jets arrived from Kyrgyzstan
in 1993 and 1994 and were active
during the war, using various
types of 250 and 500kg (551
and 1,102lb) bombs and S-5
and S-24B unguided rockets
on air-to-ground missions.
Three Croatian MiGs were lost
in combat operations in 1992,
1993 and 1995 and another
during an exercise in 1995. Four
single-seaters were lost after
the war – one in 1996, two in
a mid-air collision in 2010 and
one which crashed in 2014.
In 2003 the HRZ had eight
single-seaters, overhauled
by Aerostar in Romania and
adapted to NATO/International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
standards – plus four newly
procured two-seaters, probably
also obtained from Kyrgyzstan.
With an eye on the additional
security provided by its
anticipated NATO membership,
the government reduced the
fighter aviation element to
just one squadron in 2008.
Hit by the global economic
crisis, however, the defence
ministry postponed a decision

on the modernisation of the

fighter force. Instead, in July

2013, the MORH and Ukrainian

company Ukrspetsexport signed

a €13.9m contract to overhaul

12 MiG-21s, five of which would

be purchased second-hand.

But progress on work at the

Odesaviaremservis Aircraft Repair

Plant (OAZ/OARP) was slow, due

mainly to problems integrating

new Western equipment. The

first MiGs were to be delivered to

Croatia in October 2013 but finally

arrived by road the following April.

Integration of new electronic

equipment in Ukraine was carried

out by Czech company ČLS.

Some avionics were retained from

the 2003 overhaul and NATO/

ICAO modification in Romania, but

new hardware components were

added to improve effectiveness in

NATO operations and in instrument

flight rules (IFR) conditions. The

upgraded jets were designated

MiG-21bisD and MiG-21UMD

(‘D’ for ‘Dorađen’ – modified).

The 2003 Romanian overhaul

added the KNR-634A digital

VHF omnidirectional range/

localiser (VOR/LOC)/glide slope/

marker beacon receiver and

KDM-706A distance measuring

equipment (DME) – with KFS-

564A navigation control unit,

which displays active and standby

navigation frequency in both civil

and military operating modes.

In the Ukrainian overhaul they

are coupled with an SN3500

primary navigation display, which

replaces the KI-206 VOR/ILS

and KDI-572 DME indicators

installed in 2003. Navigation

and situational awareness is also

improved by replacing the GPS

155XL TSO receiver installed in

2003 with the GPS 400W unit.

While retaining the existing

Soviet R-832M radio station with

20 pre-selected channels, a new

AN/ARC-210 digital radio station

installed in 2003 covers the full

range of military and civilian VHF/

UHF frequencies and can pre-

select 557 channels. It includes

embedded anti-jam waveforms

and is now upgraded to the AN/

ARC-210 Gen V version.

The upgraded avionics package

of 2003 included an M877 digital

chronometer, since replaced by

a new B18 analogue watch.

For efficient engagement in

NATO operations the MiG-21s

were equipped with the French

TSC 2050 identification friend or

foe (IFF) system manufactured

by Aerostar SA under licence

from Thales. The transponder

is fully compatible with the

HRZ’s AN/FPS-117 long-range

air surveillance radars.

For the current avionics package,

the HRZ MiG-21s received the

TSC 2055 IFF system produced

by Thales, with further enhanced

capabilities up to Mode 4.

Ukraine’s OAZ/OARP guaranteed

that the MiG-21s would have a

service life of 850 flying hours or

a lifetime of ten years after the

overhaul. But some observers

believe the Soviet-era MiG-21s will

only be able to serve until 2020.

Adriatic Sea

Croatia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Hungary

Slovenia

Serbia

Italy Montenegro

Zagreb

Split

Zadar

Pula

Lučko Pleso

Dubrovnik

Adriatic Sea

Croatia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Hungary

Slovenia

Serbia

Italy Montenegro

Zagreb

Split

Zadar

Pula

Rijeka/Krk

Lučko Pleso

Dubrovnik

Above: The view from the cockpit of a Croatian MiG-21 during a formation flight over the Dalmatian coast. MORH Below: The
93rd Air Base’s EH squadron now operates two types of Bell helicopters: the Kiowa Warrior and JetRanger. MORH

106 // JUNE 2018 #363 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

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