The MiG-21 was perhaps the hallmark of Soviet aviation during the Cold War. His appearance caused concern in the West, which was soon overcome as the lessons learned from the militant's action against Israel began to be learned. The Soviet fighter was for years the backbone of the Egyptian, Iraqi and Syrian air forces and was seen dozens of times fighting against Western, mainly Israeli fighters. The first engagement occurred in 1964 but was not shot down.
The Israelis shot down the first MiG-21 in the summer of 1966. On April 7, 1967, six Syrian MiG-21s were shot down by Israeli Mirages. It was during this period that Syrian pilots discovered the "zero speed" maneuver, known as the "cobra maneuver." During the initial phase of the Six Day War Israeli aircraft struck the Arabs in four waves. The first wave claimed the downing of 7 Egyptian MiG-21s. The Egyptians in turn supported the shooting down of 5 Israeli aircraft.
The second wave of Israelis claimed the downing of 4 Egyptian MiG-21s and the third wave the downing of two Syrian and one Iraqi MiG-21. The fourth wave destroyed several Syrian MiG-21s on the ground. In total, Egypt lost about 100 of the 110 MiG-21s it had. Syria lost 35 out of 60. The Six Day War was followed by a series of operations - "War of Attrition". Between 1967-70 the Israelis shot down six Egyptian MiG-2s, losing two of their own. Also the Israelis supported the destruction of 25 Syrian MiG-21s. The Syrians claimed 7 downing of Israeli aircraft, losses that Israel did not accept.
Soviet intervention
In March 1970 Soviet aircraft, Soviet surface-to-air missiles and Soviet pilots and "advisers" overran Egypt. On April 13, 1970, Soviet pilots claimed the downing of two Israeli F-4s. On 18 April an F-4 was hit by a MiG-21 but did not go down. On June 22, a Soviet pilot shot down an Israeli A-4. On June 25, another A-4 was shot down.
The Israelis reacted strongly and on July 30 launched Operation Rimon luring the Soviet MiG-21 pilots into a trap. In the dogfight at least four MiG-21s were shot down and three Soviet pilots were killed. The Soviets responded, on August 7, by shooting down two Israeli Mirages. In total between March and August 1970 the Soviets claimed the downing of 13 Israeli MiG-21 fighters, losing five of their own.
In September 1973 in a major dogfight between Israeli and Syrian fighters Israel claimed the downing of 12 Syrian MiG-21s, while the Syrians admitted the loss of 5 fighters and claimed the downing of 8 Israelis.
Yom Kippur War and Lebanon
During the Yom Kippur War the Israelis claimed the downing of 73 Egyptian MiG-21s with the Egyptians claiming the downing of 35 Israeli MiG-21s – an excessive number as the Israelis did not lose, throughout the war, more than 15 aircraft in aerial combat.
On the Syrian front, Syrian MiG-21s shot down an Israeli A-4 and a Mirage III, with three casualties of their own, on 6 October. The next day the Syrians claimed the downing of two F-4s, three Mirages and an A-4, admitting two losses of their own. Iraqi MiG-21s on the same day claimed the downing of two Israeli A-4s for one loss of their own. On 8 October Syrian MiG-21s claimed the downing of three Israeli F-4s, but lost six of their own . By the end of the war Syrian MiG-21s claimed the downing of 30 Israeli fighters. The Israelis claimed the downing of 29 MiG-21s.
After the Yom Kippur War the Arab MiG-21s found themselves at an even greater disadvantage as the Israelis now had F-15 and F-16 fighters. These fighters shot down, according to the Israelis, 24 Syrian MiG-21s, with the Syrians claiming the downing of 5 Israeli fighters. However, this claim was not confirmed. In the 1982 Lebanon War, Israel claimed the downing of 45 Syrian MiG-21s, while the Syrians claimed two confirmed and 15 probable downs. In fact two F-15s and one F-4 were damaged in dogfights with MiG-21s.