New Delhi: It now seems that the Pakistan Air Force (PAK) lost six fighter jets, two high-value aircraft, over 10 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) and at least one C-130 transport aircraft in Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor.
A large number of Chinese Wing Loong series medium altitude long endurance drones were destroyed in raids carried out by Indian Su-30 MKI and Rafale jets, sources told ANI. Multiple Pakistani cruise missiles were also destroyed by Indian air-launched cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles.
According to the sources, a high value aerial asset, which could either be an electronic counter measures aircraft or an Airborne Early Warning or Control Aircraft, was taken out by a long range strike by the Sudarshan (comprising the S-400 missile defence system) at a distance of around 300 km, they said.
The sources said that during the four-day conflict, the strikes at Bholari airbase using air to surface cruise missiles resulted in the loss of another AEWC aircraft of Swedish origin.
There are inputs about presence of fighter jets also in the hangar but since the Pakistanis are not even taking out debris from there, “we are not counting the fighter aircraft losses on ground”, they said.
The Pakistani fighter jets were captured by the Indian Air Force radars and air defence missile systems and were seen vanishing after hits were secured by the air defence systems.
The Pakistan Air Force also lost a C-130 transport aircraft during one of the drone strikes by Indian Air Force in the Pakistani Punjab.
The Indian Air Force used only air-launched cruise missiles to attack Pakistani bases and no surface- to-surface BrahMos missiles were used in the attacks, they said.
In one of strikes on a hangar by Rafale and Su-30 jets, a significant number of Chinese Wing Loong series medium altitude long endurance drones were destroyed , the sources said.
More than 10 UCAVs were also destroyed by the different IAF air defence systems over Pakistani air space in the conflict along with large-scale interception of Pakistani air and ground launched cruise and ballistic missiles aimed at different air bases, they said.
The Indian Air Force, the sources said, is still carrying out the analysis of the huge amount of data gathered by it during the conflict.
The conflict between India and Pakistan started in May 6-7 night when India retaliated by targeting terrorist universities in the Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to Pahalgam terror attack.
The conflict lasted till May 10 afternoon when Pakistan side requested for a ceasefire in view of the heavy losses suffered by it in the attacks by the Indian Air Force.
