Sed os ce mo ere et eee Deemer Nats een aes eer es ener ey eee en ry eee ees saw the Indian Air Force (IAF) Perens PN aed) ‘counterparts. The biggest? Never eee ete Cer and 1971, 38 well as several other eerie eee eT] oer eet) argued thatthe IAF should have Piette aetna tat Tae rer) eet) rede highlighted some deficiencies. oe Eee reputation of the IAF commander ee ce oe eee) Cena ce es successfully leading a MiG-21 Pena) eet ent er) ary pen ed Pee eer pee ee no een ees Pera ered cme’ ered Pee ee erty Indian police officers when a Poems) his car with explosives and ee ened station in Indian-administered ee wd ee oe Dee toed eee eer Soe tc Sea ates et coincided with an Indian general eee ee Ca eters ee ter hostities towards its neighbour grew and the IAF began regularly os ee eens een ere nod Renee Pee ee ses) standoff weapon, left Gwalior AFS, pene ene ee eer eee eer Peers eel Pee ray the village of Jaba neer Balakot. ene eek ces Cee ean eae Pee eer Red econ eerie ue ea Ce aera) Penrose ery Reta ad French jets were escorted by eee a Se ee ea) ere ae Premed aren ee encom en) oC oben ro] eee ‘ide ofthe border, one ofthe PAF’ Erieye AEWEC aiterat was Perk ie) epee eres rence pores Se ee) Sea ae ae cet Ree eed eer et ea | Soarone year on One year after Pakistan and India almost Alan Warnes provides a fan Air Force p ‘on how events unfolded in the air over Ka pas i ees ey are ea ne eae eee ere ee Par ey{LOC}, they lobbed their SPICE 2000 weapons into Pakistan. ‘Ar Cdr (rt) Keiser Tu who the author frst met in 2004 ‘when he was base commander lat PAF Base Masrooy, continued the story: "With a standoff glide ‘ange of around 60km [37 miles] the aicraft did not need to eros the LOC and the SPICE 2000 ‘bombs headed into Pakistani sirspace in the autonomous (GPS-assisted delivery mode?” Tufail a former PAF F-7PG, F-18 and Mirage plat who hs vitton sevoral books on the PAF, ‘continued: "The bombs were ‘simed at a religious boarding school where over 200 students ‘aged eight to 15 years vers housed for their studies. But instead of hitting their intended target, the bombs fell onto a wooded area w hundred mettes away. metric height [atitude above mean sea level as given on aeronautical charts] 292 / Apri 2020 #088 Casualties ESI managing director ee a et ete eee re Leet PON rere SL LM eRe Pear ree eo rater aa ne ea eg Cay reat aah oy er sae rorya Terr ohn errs ee ec eee I ae Fer tty eer eer ese eng LPT eae cen rer er ee eee a ee eee aY Pm g Nee eecn a et Te eee ac Peer ee rane re A oe sie el ene ee ee ‘Adrian Zevenbergen added: "There the PAF, the Indians lowered can be steered with great \were no signs of scorching, no large distinguishable holes in the buildings and no signs of stress ‘0 the surrounding vegetation” ‘The IAF disagreed with ESI results, saying its own analysis showed four buildings destroyed, but didnot release ‘any images to support this. ‘At the Pars Ar Show last lune, ‘2 member of the Rafael marketing team showed AFM a photocopy ‘of high-resolution satelite image showing three holes in the roof of one ofthe buildings. ‘When asked ifit could have been Photoshopped, he responded: "1 don't think so, but who knows!" PAF retaliates A the same time asthe mission to stike tho madrassas was ‘ong on the IAF was feigning ‘multiple intrusions in a bid to draw away the PAF combat air patrol [CAP] F-16s and JF-17 plained Tul. "But od thelr ground, a this, theiralertlevels not believing accuracy, as the high-resolution strike would occur during daylight image ofthe target seen by the hours. They were wrong. ‘bombs seeker head is constantly ‘Tensions now escalated into ful relayed tothe contral aircraft” blown aerial warfare, as Tua ‘The surprise attacks during ‘explained: "A strike package the early hours of February ‘of four Mirage SPAs and dual- 27 did not cause any harm. seat Mirage IIDAS of No 15 “Tula continued: “Since the Squadron and two JF-17s of No purpose ofthe mission was 18 Squadron, supported by a big _ essentially to demonstrate that swarm of escorts and patrling Pakistan had the resolve, as well fighters fa mixofF-16A/Bs and as the capability of responding JF-175, cluttered the scopes of the in kind it was decided that there IAF's ground radars at 0920hrs. was no compeling neod to Working atthe rear of th pick the front door ofa brigade package were the PAF's Saab commander's office or the air Erieye AEWAC aircraft, and the shafts of soldiers’ bunkers. General Dassault Falcon 20ECM, with ‘of open spaces in electronic warlare oficers ready military garrisons near the Line to jam the opposing forces (of Control was therefore, agroed ‘The two Mirage SPAs were each tt was expocted that this armed with an H-4 standoff weapon ‘abundance of restraint’ would ‘that Pakistan hed developed prevent mass carnage inthe with South Africa's Denel in the indian military garrisons escalatory ing in the rear ofeach of the into avery dangerous (0 Mirage IIA communications KeyAoroeerrerrerrs reacted tothe strikes with Mirage 2000s, Su-30MKis and MiG-215: The JF-17s wete each armed all heading towards the attackers. with two 1000)b (454kg) Mk83_—_Electronic warfare played a pivotal Indigenous Range Extension Kits role in both side’ battle plans but (IREKs) that became operational it was the PAF's No 28 Squadron in 2017, Developed, integrated and with its highly modified Dassault ‘qualified by Pakistan-based Global Falcon 20ECM that emerged Industil & Defence Solutions with its reputation considerably (GIDS), the IREK has range of enhanced. The unit's highly ‘upto 37 miles (60km). GIDS has modified business jets jammed the converted MK8O-series genetal- IAF fighters, they were unable purpose bombs into satelite-sided to communicate with each other inertial navigation system (GPS/ or their air defence controllers INS) guided bombs with a tail There was no IAF network-centric unit ncorporating aerodynamic warfare - the aircraft on patrol control surfaces and glide wings. were not data-linked (possibly due It provides the JF-17 with a very to system malfunctions), so the IAF potent day and night capability was in complete disarray, unable to engage a variety of targets, _to determine what was happening, [Not surprisingly, the IAF's QRAs Former Indian Army officer Pravin Sawhney, now an independent military analyst, \was citcal ofthe IAF: "The PAF hhad better electronic warfare jammers and, a a result, the IAF could not communicate, Ifyou do not win the battle in the electromagnetic spectrum, you will never win the war! IAF confusion meant thet aircraft were siting ducks. Two PAF F168 ‘on a CAP, led by Sqn Lr Hasan Siddiqui, were vectored by PAF tir defence controllers on to what turned out to be Su-30MKs. Tufail picked up the story: "After sampling the target data and Confirming vali fring parameters, Hasan launched an AIM-120C-5 [AMRAAM. Missile fight data fed back to the F-168'sfire-control Sic Indian Ai Force Mirage 2000s, aed with SPICE 2000 stando weapons, departed Gwar late on February 25, but fale 0 thal targets. The package Waly ta have Inckded a duol-seat Mage Z0007H = this example seen at Gwalior AFS fit with a Romora electronic countermeasures pod. ee — eed ‘computor in real-time indicated ‘that the missile had hit the target” Confirmation, however, remains ‘moot, 3s the engagement took. place across the LOC in Indian- held Kashmir, and the IAF has not been forthcoming with any details. [At the time, Pakstar Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) stated in error that a JF-17 had shot down the Sukhoi Alot of contusion ensued on the |AF side, which led to an Israli- made Spyder surface-to-air missile (SAM) shooting down a Mi-7V-5 helicopter flown by No 158 Helicopter Unit from Stinigar AFS, All six aiterew and a civilian on the ground lost their lives in the crash, ‘Almost immediately ater the “KO !1 Claimed Su-30MKI shootdown, the Indian military held a pross conference to show off damaged 'AMAAM components. They were trying to prove F-16s were involved in the action, hoping the US ‘would sanetion the PAF, but that doesn't appear to have happoned. According to Tufail: "Monitoring of tho radios by the PAF revealed the pilot of a Su-30MKI had called 'Bingo' low on fuel] only 25 minutes into the mission, ‘even though it ean fy up to two hours, Around the same time, ‘wo Mirage 2000s also exited the active zone ater claiming their air intorcopt radars were broken, Tat vas strange, because PAF F-16s had picked up tell- tale transmission ‘chirps’ ofthe apparently serviceable Mirage 2000 radar on their threat-waring systems short time earlier” ‘The IAF claims to have shot down a PAF F-16 during the a 24/2020 #005 air batle, The PAF denies this ‘ever happened! and, on Apri 5, the US government issued 8 statement that none of the Pakistani F-16s had been lost Shootdown ‘The aie battle caw five of the AP's agile MiG-21bisUPG Bisons of No ‘51 Squadron fom Stinigar AFS being scrambled. They should have been working with the Su-3OMKIs and their more powerful NOTIM Bors passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radars ‘The Flankers were expected to data-link their longer-range aerial picture tothe Bisons operating ahead of them, allowing the MiGs to keep their radars switched off to evade detection by PAF radars However the degraded ‘communications meant the Bisons weren't receiving anything from the Sukhois or the air defence controler. It left the pilots on \ thet own, One of ther Wg Cae Abhinandan Varthaman, was initaly vectored towards some PAF fighters. Tfall continued: "Abhinandan had stayed low and had even switched off his IFF [identification fiend or foe] to stop the PAF from tracking him” Before communications were downgraded, the Indian pilot had kept his radar controller posted by reporting his postion in pre arranged codes, "However, he had forgotten that the PAF's AEW&C aircraft, unlike the ground-based air radars, could clearly see him in thie sights? said Tal The information picked up by the Erieye was relayed to an 10, flown by Wg Cdr Noman Ali khan, commanding officer of No 23 /Aggressors’ Squadron, Radio ‘monitoring by the PAF heard Abhinandan boeing told by his controllers toturn back, but he couldn't hear the instructions so didnt alter his course. As soon as the MiG crossed the LOG, it was hit by Noman's AMRAAM, sending the jet spiralling out of Control. Fortunately, Abhinandan ted but he came down in Pakistan. After a confrontation, during which he fre his pistol into the air and was beaten by locals, he was rescued by Pakistan Army police and taken int custody. Abhinandan was ‘subsequently interviewed by PAF intoligence before he was returned to India on March In the wake of the PAF'S performance, overseen by Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar khan, Pakistan celebrated. It was an outpouring of national pride perhaps unrivalled since Pakistan won the CCicket World Cup in 1992, In January, the author vas taken to. secret location in Pakistan to ‘520 the remains of Bison CU-2328, ‘The fuel tank wae stil attached to tho ot when it crashod, and shrapnel from the AMRAAM had ‘caused damage around the ear of the aireraf. At another unnamed location, the author was shown the je's four air-to-air missiles (AAMs). The two R-73s (AA-t1 Archer) and two B-77s (AA-12 ‘Adder) were easily recognisable, although the B-73 onthe left ‘wing's outer station was badly ‘burnt from the impact fre, but it was clear to see the missile had never been fred and thatthe rocket motor was sil intact ‘his refutes claims madereaiteicom Intelligence “We have to be aware of modern technologies, and if the acquisition of a new fighter fits into our doctrine then we will try to acquire it. The balance has to be maintained.” ACM Mujahid Anwar Khan a by former IAF commander ACM ‘hanoa tothe Hindustan Tines on February this yor thatthe F-18 was shot down by Abhinandan. For his part, Abhinandan has never said he shot down an F-16. Conclusions Close observers of the PAF will perhaps not be surprised that the air arm fared so wel eae Part naa td i nr ee aT PA Sameera against the IAF. The PAF makes Air Force (PLAAF) participate respond to thei attacks ~ they "Do you think we the most of scarce, often old ‘annually in Exercise Shaheen, didn't have to cross the LOC. They havent trained forthe Ratale? resources, managed and used _with the latest Shaheen Xill Lnderestimated our resolve! It doesn't matter what kind ina way that addresses tactical ills taking place last August, He continued: "We could have of technologies the IAF has, land strategic requirements, ‘Operation Suit Retort wll done a lot more damage than we will have the capacity to Under Project Vision, the PAF go down in PAF history and we dic by shooting down more feat i. We have to be sharp has established a networked air Pakistan willno doubt reflect aircraft s0 | was very proud of the and outmanoeuvre them with defence network, linking mary onthe service's achievements guys that they showed restraint” various methodologies" foreignsmade systems to the ‘of February 27,2018. However, The IAF s already talking 'ACM Khan concluded: “We thee regional air commands the IAF will also learn from its about upgrading the radars of have tobe aware of modern and the AHO, to provide one mistakes, When AFM spoke to the its Su-3OMKIs with an active technologies, and if the recognised air picture, PAF commander, ACM Mujahid electronically scanned array acquisition of a new fighter fits In addition, PAF personnel ‘Anwar Khan, in late January (AESA) to provide increased into our doctrine then we vill wr ser ay a |: An Indian Ai Fores MiG-21/#UPG Bizon at Gwalior AFS n 2006, armed with an F.60 (AA-8 Aphid} short-range ar-o-ai 16 Squadion ‘Black Panthers’ JE-1 ts of during a training sore Two ofthe unt’s acre dropped 0016 IREKs on targets fea ean i tes Belt iz Fb 24 Reg spo ere Ar men we rove ‘an 78K tanker worn Koy hore