S-400 Destroyed 5 Pak Air Force Fighter Jets, Largest Surface-To-Air Kill In Op Sindoor: Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has confirmed that the IAF shot down at least 5 Pak aircraft during Operation Sindoor (Image courtesy: RNA)
India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor against Pakistan on May 7 was successful in many aspects. However, confusion persisted concerning Pakistan aircraft being shot down by the Indian Air Force, which has now been cleared. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Saturday confirmed this for the first time.
During the May 7 strike on terrorists’ hideouts in Pakistan, the Indian Air Force’s S-400 air defence systems shot down 5 Pak Air Force fighter jets and 1 AEW&C/ELINT aircraft at long range. He described it as “the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill” the IAF can talk about.
“India shot down at least 5 Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft in addition to bringing down an AEW&C/ELINT aircraft shot down at a range of 300 km,” the Air Chief Marshal made the revelation while speaking at 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre lecture in Bangalore.
Operation Sindoor: How IAF destructed key Pak air infra?
According to the Air Chief Marshal, not only Pakistan aircraft but the Indian Air Force also conducted strikes on key Pakistani air bases. “Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield, one of the major airfields that was attacked. Here there’s an F-16 hangar. One half of the hangar is gone. And I’m sure there were some aircraft inside which have got damaged there.”
The IAF was also able to destroy “at least two command and control centres, like Murid and Chaklala… At least six radars, some of them big, some of them small… We have an indication of at least one AEW&C in that AEW&C hangar and a few F-16s, which were under maintenance there,” Singh shared.
These losses including the destruction of fighters, radars, command centres, and critical surveillance assets is certainly not a small development. It could significantly weaken the Pakistan Air Force’s operational readiness.
S-400 power at display in Operation Sindoor
The air defence system showed its capabilities during the May Operation Sindoor as it helped in the destruction of an airborne early warning aircraft at a 300 km range. The S-400 systems is capable of engaging high-value targets far inside hostile airspace.
Why the timing of this confirmation is of significance?
Unless one had been living under rock, they would know how India is currently engaged in a tariff tangle with the United States. President Donald Trump has been targeting New Delhi for the past few weeks, citing oil trade with Russia. After an already announced 25% tariff on Indian goods landing in the US, Trump on August 6 declared an additional 25% tariff on India.
While Trump claims to have brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan during their intense fighting in May, the Indian government has never acknowledged this. Trump has even showed support for Pakistan and announced a massive oil deal with the country after imposing 25% tariff on India.
India’s latest confirmation that 6 Pakistan aircraft were shot down by the IAF only underscore the relentless approach towards terrorism and is proof of the might of the armed forces.
