Air Force Chief big statement on Operation Sindoor, confirms 5 Pakistan fighter jets were shot down

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Saturday confirmed that six Pakistani aircraft – including five fighter jets and another large aircraft – were downed during Operation Sindoor. This was the Indian Air Force’s first big revelation of the extent of damage caused to the Pakistani air fleet during the mega military offensive.

What was the extent of destruction?

According to IAF, one large aircraft AEW&C was destroyed at 300 km range — also largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill. Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield was attacked and half of an F-16 hangar destroyed, with aircraft damage inside.

Two command & control centres (Murid and Chaklala) were hit and atleast six radars were destroyed — mix of large and small units. Indications of one AEW&C aircraft in hangar and several F-16s under maintenance were also damaged.

How crucial was S-400 surface-to-air missile system?

Speaking at the annual 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Lecture in Bengaluru, Air Chief Marshal Singh credited the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system with the crucial aerial kills during the May 7 operation that followed the Pahalgam attack.

“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.

 

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