North Korean MiG-21, by Unknown Artist, 1978 The Soviet Mikoyan Design Bureau developed the MiG-21 FISHBED as a single-seat, multi-role fighter in the late 1950s. More than 30 countries in the world still fly the MiG-21, including China and India, who manufacture and upgrade the aircraft under license. North Korea, with only a few more modern MiG-23s and -29s, depends heavily on its inventory of these aircraft, including 30 it illegally purchased from Kazakhstan in 1999. Ironically, the MiG-21 was designed based on lessons learned during the air combat during the Korean War.