COMPANY MAY TURN MIGS INTO TARGETS.Byline: Jim Skeen Once a worthy foe of American fighter jets, the Russian MiG-21 soon might provide work for an Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley company interested in converting the jets into aerial targets. Texas-based Tracor Flight Systems is looking at using its Mojave plant to convert MiG-21s into QMiG-21 remote-controlled drones. The drones would serve as targets for international air forces. "We're developing a primary design and advertising that we can do that (convert them into targets)," said Tracor spokeswoman Marian Kelley. "Our guys believe they would be a very good aerial target." The MiG-21 was one of the most widely used combat aircraft in the 1970s and has flown with more than 30 national air forces. The aircraft was used by the North Vietnamese North Vietnam A former country of southeast Asia. It existed from 1954, after the fall of the French at Dien Bien Phu, to 1975, when the South Vietnamese government collapsed at the end of the Vietnam War. It is now part of the country of Vietnam. during the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. . The MiG-21, known by the code names Fishbed and Mongol by NATO NATO: see North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO in full North Atlantic Treaty Organization International military alliance created to defend western Europe against a possible Soviet invasion. , was developed in the 1950s and was first delivered in 1958. The aircraft was produced through the 1970s. The single-seat, delta-winged aircraft is about 48 feet in length and has a wingspan of 23 feet. At its Mojave plant, the company converts F-4 fighter jets - also a veteran of the Vietnam War - into QF-4 drones for use as targets for the U.S. Air Force. Tracor has a $93 million contract to convert a total of 144 F-4s into drones, with deliveries stretching into 1998. Tracor provides testing, aircraft modification A change in the physical characteristics of aircraft, accomplished either by a change in production specifications or by alteration of items already produced. and electronic warfare Noun 1. electronic warfare - military action involving the use of electromagnetic energy to determine or exploit or reduce or prevent hostile use of the electromagnetic spectrum EW military action, action - a military engagement; "he saw action in Korea" for government and commercial customers, and is involved in the development and production of advanced defense electronics. |
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