After the India-Pakistan air battle on May 7, Pakistan claimed that its air force shot down three Indian Mirage fighter jets using J-10C fighter jets and the PL-15E air-to-air missile, causing global shock. The world generally accepted Pakistan's claim, but India has never admitted defeat, continuously defending itself and insisting it was the winner.
Amar Pratap Singh, Chief of the Indian Air Force
According to a report by Indian media "India Today," the latest defense from India is that Amar Pratap Singh, Chief of the Indian Air Force, stated at the celebration of the 93rd Air Force Day in India that India destroyed five aircraft of the Pakistani Air Force, including F-16s and JF-17s, as well as one reconnaissance aircraft during the "Ruby Operation." Singh also refuted claims that Indian aircraft were destroyed, directly accusing Pakistan of fabricating lies.
Singh said that this was the most decisive military operation since the third India-Pakistan war in 1971, with the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force launching precise strikes together, forcing the opponent to "beg for mercy overnight." Although he had previously mentioned that the Indian forces destroyed five Pakistani aircraft and one other type of military aircraft during the "Ruby Operation," this is the first time the Indian forces have publicly announced the specific types of aircraft destroyed.
Singh said, "The losses we caused to Pakistan are very clear. It was clearly pointed out in the initial briefing that we attacked a large number of Pakistani air bases and facilities. According to video intelligence returned from the ground, at least four radar stations of Pakistan were destroyed, two command and control centers were hit, two runways were damaged, and three different airbases' hangars were destroyed, including a large hangar on the tarmac."
Regarding the loss of Pakistani Air Force aircraft, Singh said that it included one C-130 transport aircraft, one airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft, and at least four to five aircraft destroyed. These aircraft are likely American-made F-16s, as F-16s were stationed at the attacked Pakistani airbases, and some F-16s were under maintenance at that time. Additionally, their surface-to-air missile systems were also destroyed in the attack. Singh emphasized that all the losses of the Pakistani Air Force were caused by Indian ground attacks.
Pakistani F-16 Fighter Jet
In terms of air defense operations, India also claimed to have clear evidence showing that it successfully used the S-400 air defense missile system for long-range strikes over 300 kilometers, shooting down what was likely an AWACS or electronic reconnaissance aircraft. Additionally, the system indicated that five Pakistani Air Force aircraft were destroyed, with the model speculated to be F-16 or JF-17.
To prove his claims, Singh also released some photos of Indian attacks on Pakistani airbases, showing parts of the hangars being destroyed. However, the outside world reacted indifferently to Singh's claims and did not acknowledge them, as these claims lacked convincing evidence.
Firstly, Singh's claim of destroying Pakistani Air Force aircraft was not a result of aerial combat, but rather an attack on Pakistani airbases, i.e., destroying several aircraft on the ground. This makes his argument seem weak and completely avoids the large-scale air battle between the Indian and Pakistani air forces, thus making it impossible to deny the significant losses suffered by the Indian Air Force in the air battle.
Secondly, Singh's so-called destruction of multiple Pakistani Air Force aircraft is more of a guess than solid evidence. It took five months to release a few photos of supposed Indian attacks on Pakistani airbase hangars, which seems too slow. Moreover, from these photos, it is impossible to see any signs of aircraft being destroyed.
In contrast, Pakistan provided sufficient evidence of its victories after the India-Pakistan air battle. Not only did they provide details of the entire operation, but they also captured audio recordings of conversations between Indian pilots, as well as a large amount of wreckage footage taken by Indian media, self-media, and ordinary people. Even France and the United Kingdom provided relevant evidence, cross-verifying through multiple sources, indicating that Pakistan's claims are the truth.
Thirdly, although India used the S-400 air defense system during the conflict and launched the 40N6 missile with a range of 400 kilometers, it was eventually shot down by the Pakistani Air Force's HQ-9B1 air defense missile near Dingjia Town in Punjab Province.
Fourthly, if India indeed destroyed multiple Pakistani aircraft, given India's usual habit of "taking every inch gained," it would have continued to expand the strike and imposed harsh conditions on Pakistan, instead of stopping the operation after just a week.
Fifthly, after the India-Pakistan conflict, Pakistan's international status significantly improved, even U.S. President Trump began to strongly court Pakistan, while continuously pressuring India. This further indicates that Pakistan is the real winner of the conflict.
Indian Air Force Mirage Fighter Jet
Indian senior officials repeatedly denied the defeat and tried to cover up, which precisely shows that Pakistan not only caused significant losses in aircraft and equipment to India militarily, but also gave a heavy psychological blow to India. The Indian senior officials are filled with shock, fear, and panic, gradually realizing that the Indian Air Force, which has cost billions of dollars over the past decades, is actually "all show and no go."
For a long time to come, India will not have the strength to defeat Pakistan. For the regional situation, this is not necessarily bad news. Previously aggressive India has become much more restrained now and no longer easily provokes neighboring countries.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7557365949435773478/
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