By R Anil Kumar
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IAF chief Amar Preet Singh revealed Operation Sindoor inflicted significant damage on Pakistan, including the downing of six aircraft, among them five fighter jets and a high-value surveillance platform. The operation targeted command and control centers, radar systems, and aircraft hangars, effectively addressing the ‘ghost of Balakot’ by showcasing tangible achievements and losses inflicted on the adversary
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This is the Indian forces’ first big revelation on the extent of damage caused to the Pakistani side during Operation Sindoor
Bengaluru. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh has said that India downed five fighter aircrafts of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
Speaking at the 16th Air Chief L M Katre lecture in Bengaluru today, August 9, the Chief of the Air Staff said, five Pakistan Air force aircrafts and one AWaCS aircraft were put down by India.
Speaking in detail along with video footage, he said they have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft which could either be an ELINT aircraft or an AEW&C aircraft. He informed that they were taken down at a distance of about 300 kilometers, which he added is the largest ever recorded surface to air kill that one can talk about.
The CAS also mentioned about attacks on Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield being destroyed by our missiles, where some aircrafts like F16 were damaged.
He pointed out that the Indian attacks were calibrated and there was absolute synchronisation between the three forces. The Air Chief said that our air defence systems did a wonderful job and the S400 system was a game changer. He explained that the range of that system really kept their aircraft away from us.
Six Pakistani aircraft – including five fighter jets and another large aircraft – were downed during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force has confirmed, in their first big revelation on the extent of damage caused to the Pakistani side during the mega military offensive.
The “big bird” that was downed was an AEW&C (airborne early warning and control system), the loss of which dealt a massive blow to Pakistan’s air strength during the May 7 operation after the Pahalgam attack.
Besides the six aircraft that were hit mid-air, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh also confirmed the losses that the Pakistan Air Force suffered on the ground in the aerial strikes at Pakistan airbases.
“We have five confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT or an AEW&C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of 300 kms. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about,” the Air Chief Marshal said at the 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Lecture in Bengaluru.
Calling the Russian-made S-400 a “game-changer”, he said that Pakistan was unable to penetrate the surface-to-air missile system.
“Our air defence systems did a wonderful job. The S-400 system, which we had recently bought, has been a game-changer. The range of that system has really kept their aircraft away from their weapons like long-range glide bombs that they have. They have not been able to use any of those because they have not able to penetrate the system,” said the Air chief.
The IAF had also struck hangars in Jacobabad and Bholari in Pakistan. Some US-made F-16s, which were under maintenance at one of the hangars, were destroyed in the aerial strikes. In Bholari, another AEW&C aircraft is also believed to have been destroyed.
“We have an indication of at least one AWC in that AWC hanger, and a few F-16s, which are under maintenance there, (were destroyed),” the Air chief said.
The Indian forces were able to cause so much damage that Pakistan realised they would suffer more losses if the conflict continued, said the Air Chief Marshall. This prompted the Pakistani side to seek a ceasefire, he added.
The hostilites ended May 10.
Air Chief Marshal Singh also credited the political leadership for giving the forces the full freedom to plan and execute the attacks.
“A key reason for success was the presence of political will. There were very clear directions given to us. No restrictions were put on us. If there were any constraints, they were self-made. We decided how much to escalate. We had full freedom to plan and execute. Our attacks were calibrated because we wanted to be mature about it,” said Air Chief Marshall Singh.
He also shared ‘before and after’ satellite images of the terror targets that were struck during the May 7 attack. “Not only did we have satellite pictures, but also from local media, through which we could get inside pictures,” said the Chief of Air Staff, recalling that it was difficult to convince people without such evidence after the Balakot attack.
India had struck nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), eliminating over a hundred terrorists, during Op Sindoor. The massive military operation was carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre in which 26 innocent people were killed by Pakistan-linked terrorists.
