Guinean MiG-21s in the 2000s - Force Aerienne de Guinea


	Guinean MiG-21s in the 2000s (decade) Force Aerienne de Guinea

Of a handful of aging Soviet-era MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L' jets formed the main combat component of the Guinea Air Force at the turn of the millennium. At least five of them MiG-21s were reportedly overhauled by Eastern-European personnel at the turn of the millennium.

Known Guinean MiG-21s in the 2000s:

MiG-21bis Fishbed-L b/n: 221
MiG-21bis Fishbed-L b/n: 31x? Crashed on 22. Apr, 2004
MiG-21bis Fishbed-L b/n: 331
MiG-21bis Fishbed-L b/n: 552
MiG-21bis Fishbed-L b/n: 883
MiG-21bis Fishbed-L b/n: 993
MiG-21UM Mongol-B b/n: 120
MiG-21UM Mongol-B b/n: 250 Crashed on 16. Apr, 2007

Russian Naval Aviation base continued to operate even after the turn of the millennium at the Conakry airport. Russian forces continued to provide limited support to the Guinean Air Force.

Known accidents in the 2000s:

- One MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L' (b/n: probably 31x) crashed due to an engine malfunction near Kassa, a coastal village near Conakry, killing its pilot, Flt Sgt Nama Keita, on 22 April 2004. Keita successfully ejected but drowned after plunging into the Atlantic Ocean off Conakry. Fishermen recovered the body from the sea off the west African country.

- Following another test flight, on the morning of 16 April 2007, a MiG-21UM 'Mongol-B' (b/n: 250) crashed into the state broadcasting center on Conakry, setting fire to the building located across the road from the US embassy.

Subsequent reports from government officials revealed that the Guinean Air Force had been flying only two days a week, on Tuesday and Friday, and that the aircraft had caught fire while flown by a Ukrainian pilot, with Guinean pilot Capt Toure Alja in the rear cockpit. The same reports stated that the crew ejected safely after.


		Guinean Air Force’s military demonstration. Five MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-L’ and a MiG-21UM ‘Mongol-B’ at the Conakry airport in 2010.



	None of these aircraft remains in service, after 2010/11. The remaining five MiG-21bis ‘Fishbed-L’ and a MiG-21UM ‘Mongol-B’ were stored at the Conakry airport. In 2013, the hangars of the MiG-21s were also demolished. MiG-21bis and MiG-21UM storage at the Conakry airport:







	Photo and data source: ACIG Forum