Chinese official media calls Pakistan’s fake claim of destroying India’s S-400 system in Adampur a ‘tech breakthrough’, day after PM Modi posed with the intact system at the base
Even after comprehensive proofs that Pakistan didn’t hit any air defence system in India, Pakistan and its defence supplier China continue to peddle the lie that an S-400 missile defence system was destroyed by Pakistan. On 14th May, Pakistan claimed that they used a Chinese hypersonic missile to destroy an Indian S-400 air defence system last week.
South China Morning Post quoted Chinese official news agency Xinhua saying that Pakistan’s air strike had destroyed India’s Russian-built air defence system in Punjab’s Adampur. Xinhua reportedly called it “the dawn of a new era in warfare”. As per the report, Pakistan executed the strike using hypersonic missiles launched from the Chinese fighter jet JF-17.
“Precision-guided munitions were used to neutralise the advanced air defence asset,” the Chinese state media quoted a Pakistani statement. Pakistan also released videos of two CM-400AKG missiles used for the mission. The missiles are made by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, or CASIC. However, expectedly, there is no mention of any visual evidence of the so-called strike at Adampur air force base.
China Space News, another Chinese state-controlled media house co-sponsored by CASIC and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, boasted about the capabilities of the missile, highlighting its so-called breakthrough in their guidance technology. As per the report, precision guidance was the key to “stand-off strikes” – attacks launched from beyond the reach of enemy defences such as the one that destroyed India’s air defence system.
“This breakthrough in precision guidance technology lays the foundation for beyond-visual-range strikes,” the report by China Space News said. It also highlighted the use of “man-in-the-loop” technology, where operators can adjust targets in real time as the missile nears impact – useful for hitting moving or suddenly detected targets.
Despite the boasting by Pakistan and China, the fact remains that no Chinese missile fired by Pakistan hit Adampur Air Base in Punjab. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the base on Tuesday, and no damage was seen in the visuals from the event.
Most importantly, the S-400 missile defence system was strategically placed to be seen in the background, and clear evidence that it was not hit by any missile. While Indian Air Force has said that there was limited damage to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj, it has denied the Pakistani claim of hitting the S-400 system.
Addressing a special press briefing on 10th May, Col Sofiya Qureshi had said that Pakistan’s claim of destroying S-400 air defence systems at Adampur, Suratgarh, and Sirsa Air Force Stations are false and baseless. She had added that “India strongly denies these false narratives”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
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