SOURCE: AFI
At the India Today Conclave, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), provided a riveting account of the performance of the IAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters during a tense standoff with Pakistan in 2019. Reflecting on the events following the Balakot airstrike, the Air Chief Marshal revealed how two Su-30MKIs successfully defended vital Indian installations against a potential raid by Pakistani F-16s armed with advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) missiles. His remarks underscored the resilience and capability of the IAF’s frontline fighters in countering a sophisticated adversary, dispelling doubts about their effectiveness in modern aerial combat.
The 2019 aerial engagements between India and Pakistan occurred in the aftermath of the IAF’s airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist camp in Balakot, carried out on February 26, 2019, in retaliation for the Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indian CRPF personnel. The strike deep inside Pakistani territory escalated tensions, prompting Pakistan to retaliate the following day. On February 27, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched a large-scale operation, deploying multiple fighter jets, including F-16s armed with AMRAAMs, in an attempt to target Indian military installations near the Line of Control (LoC).
The IAF scrambled its aircraft to intercept the incoming PAF jets, leading to a dogfight in which an Indian MiG-21 Bison, piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, shot down a PAF F-16 but was subsequently downed himself and captured after crossing into Pakistani territory. While the MiG-21-F-16 encounter garnered significant attention, Air Chief Marshal Singh shed light on another critical aspect of the engagement—the role played by the IAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKIs in defending Indian airspace and strategic assets.
Air Chief Marshal Singh was referring to when during the PAF’s attempted raid on February 27, two Su-30MKIs were specifically tasked with protecting vital installations against a possible strike by Pakistani jets. The PAF deployed F-16s armed with AIM-120C AMRAAMs, which are beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles with a range exceeding 100 kilometers, giving them a significant advantage in long-distance engagements. The F-16s launched multiple AMRAAMs at the Su-30MKIs from a distance known as D-MAX (maximum effective range), aiming to neutralize the Indian fighters and clear the way for their strike package.
However, the Su-30MKIs, known for their supermaneuverability and advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems, managed to evade the incoming missiles. “The Sukhois did their job,” Air Chief Marshal Singh stated at the India Today Conclave. “They stood their ground . As Sukhoi managed to escape the AMRAAMs that were fired by the Pakistani F-16s at D-MAX.” It was also further noted that the missiles failed to hit their targets, and the wreckage of some of these AMRAAMs was later recovered on the Indian side of the LoC. Examination of the debris revealed that the missiles had self-destructed mid-flight, a feature designed to prevent unexploded ordnance from causing unintended damage if they miss their target.
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