In a significant buildup while engaged in a four-day battle with Pakistan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) allegedly destroyed various high-value assets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). These included six fighter aircraft, two strategic aircraft, more than 10 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), a C-130 transport aircraft, and several cruise missiles, as per sources quoted by news agency ANI.
This revelation follows closely after Pakistan reportedly released a top-secret dossier outlining India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, which apparently targeted eight additional points across Pakistani soil.
According to sources of the ongoing military operation, ANI published reports claiming that the IAF is now studying the level of damage caused to Pakistani infrastructure. On the basis of available information, six PAF fighter aircraft were shot down mid-air during aerial combat.
One valuable airborne platform, a likely Electronic Countermeasures Aircraft or Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) was allegedly neutralised by India’s Sudarshan strike system from a distance of some 300 km.
Further, one Swedish-origin AEW&C aircraft was also destroyed in an attack on Pakistan’s Bholari airbase by air-to-surface cruise missiles. The sources further mentioned that although the intelligence indicated the presence of fighter jets within hangars, the losses were not being accounted for as the Pakistani side has also declined to clear any debris from the location.
No Use of BrahMos in Operation
The sources made it clear that only cruise missiles launched from the air were used in the operation and surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles were not used.
Indian forces destroyed a large number of Chinese-origin Wing Loong medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicles kept in a hangar during one mission while using Rafale and Su-30MKI fighter aircraft. More than 10 UCAVs were also taken out employing IAF’s air defense systems while these flew over Pakistani territory.
India is said to have intercepted a significant number of Pakistani-launched cruise and ballistic missiles targeting Indian air bases between the same time.
Details of the Conflict
The cross-border conflict was initiated by a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists. India, in retaliation, initiated ‘Operation Sindoor’ at the early hours of May 7.
The Indian Air Force struck and destroyed several terrorist infrastructure targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Sources made public that over 100 terrorists were killed during the operation.
The battle ended on May 10 after a ceasefire was requested by Pakistan, allegedly because it was sustaining high losses and suffering heavy damage from India’s high-precision air campaign.
