Ten years have elapsed since the first flight of MiG-21 LanceR (the air-to-ground type) on August 23, 2005, an airplane belonging to the Romanian Air Forces.
As of April 2004, MiG 21 LanceR airplanes are in the service of the Air Police, part of NATO's integrated air defence system.

The plane can fulfill all types of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, due to the integrated avionics, meeting the interoperability requirements of the Air Forces of other NATO member states.

The plane detects a target beyond its visual range, identifies it and decides which weapon to use. It can operate in an electronically hostile environment, in all weather conditions, by day or by night with the possibility to quickly change missions during flight.
Its upgrading allowed pilots' training according to the new concept of modern navigation and combat, according to NATO standards. Pilots' training on the new airplane allows their flying any type of modern airplane.

In the ten years since they serve the Air Force, the MiG-21 LanceR flew over 25,000hrs during 37,000 missions at home and abroad. They participated in the multinational exercises COOPERATIVE KEY (Turkey 1998 and 2004, Slovakia1999, Romania 2000, Bulgaria 2001 and 2003, France 2002), STRONG RESOLVE (Poland 2002) and annual bilateral exercises in cooperation with Air Forces in France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Israel and the USA.

Air Staff