SOURCE: AFI
In a significant escalation during the India-Pakistan standoff of May 2025, the Indian Air Force (IAF) executed a series of precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting key Pakistan Air Force (PAF) installations, including the strategically vital Murid Air Base in Chakwal, Punjab. Among the high-value targets was a critical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) command and control (C2) facility, which is believed to have played a pivotal role in disrupting Pakistan’s drone operations, including its fleet of advanced Turkish-made UAVs such as the Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci.
The operation, launched on May 7, 2025, was a response to a Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. A recent report by an Indian government-backed think tank, the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), has confirmed the significant impact of these strikes on Pakistan’s UAV capabilities.
Located approximately 150 kilometers from the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, PAF Base Murid has emerged as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s unmanned aerial operations. Originally established as a Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) airfield in 1942, it was restructured and upgraded to a Main Operating Base in December 2014. The base houses the PAF’s No. 42 Flying Wing, dedicated to operating a growing fleet of UAVs and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). With eight hangars already constructed and three more under development, Murid is equipped to support advanced drones such as the indigenously developed GIDS Shahpar and NESCOM Burraq, Chinese Chengdu Wing Loong II, and Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci UCAVs.
The base’s strategic proximity to the Indian border makes it a critical node for reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision strike missions. Its 9,000-foot asphalt runway and modern infrastructure, including Airfield Lighting Systems (AFLS) and Precision Approach Radar (PAR) systems, enhance its capacity to support sophisticated UAV operations. The No. 64 Squadron, operating Bayraktar TB2 drones, and the No. 65 Squadron, handling the larger Bayraktar Akinci, are both stationed at Murid, underscoring its role in Pakistan’s drone warfare strategy.
On the night of May 9–10, 2025, as part of Operation Sindoor, the IAF launched a meticulously planned assault on Murid Air Base, targeting its command and control infrastructure critical to UAV operations. High-resolution satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies, analyzed by geospatial intelligence researcher Damien Symon, revealed a three-meter-wide crater just 30 meters from the entrance of a heavily fortified sub-complex, likely an underground facility. Additionally, a command and control building adjacent to the UAV hangars sustained significant damage, with a collapsed roof and stressed outer walls indicating a direct strike.
According to Air Marshal AK Bharti, speaking at a joint press briefing by India’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs, the IAF specifically targeted “C2 centers at Murid” and the “UAV complex at Murid.” The precision strikes, executed with a combination of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, SCALP air-launched cruise missiles, and other precision-guided munitions like HAMMER and Crystal Maze, decimated the facility responsible for coordinating Pakistan’s drone operations. The CAPS report highlights that the destruction of this C2 node “numbed” the PAF’s ability to communicate and maintain situational awareness, rendering its advanced Turkish UAVs, including the Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci, largely non-operational during the conflict.
Pakistan has significantly bolstered its UAV arsenal in recent years, with a notable reliance on Turkish-made drones. The Bayraktar TB2, known for its success in conflicts like Ukraine, and the Akinci, a high-altitude, long-endurance UCAV, are key assets in the PAF’s inventory. These platforms, stationed at Murid, have been used for surveillance, intelligence gathering, and precision strikes along the LoC. News18 reported that Turkey provided real-time support and training to Pakistan, with drone trainers dispatched to PAF facilities just days before the escalation, highlighting the deep defense collaboration between Ankara and Islamabad.
The IAF’s strike on the C2 facility at Murid disrupted the operational backbone of these drones. The CAPS report notes that the loss of the command and control node crippled Pakistan’s ability to deploy its UAVs effectively, as the PAF could no ??????????? longer coordinate real-time battlefield data or execute drone-based missions.
The CAPS report underscores the IAF’s strategic dominance in the conflict, emphasizing that the strikes on Murid and other PAF bases, including Nur Khan, Rafiqui, and Sargodha, incapacitated over 60% of Pakistan’s air defense capabilities. The destruction of runways, hangars, radar installations, and high-value assets like an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft at Bholari significantly degraded the PAF’s operational readiness. The report highlights the IAF’s use of sophisticated tactics, such as deploying decoy aircraft to expose Pakistani radar positions, followed by precision strikes with BrahMos missiles traveling at Mach 2.8–3.0.
The targeting of Murid’s underground facility, potentially housing sensitive drone-related infrastructure, marks a notable escalation in India’s ability to strike deep-buried assets. The crater’s proximity to the fortified sub-complex suggests the use of bunker-buster munitions, a capability that underscores India’s growing technological prowess under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The CAPS analysis concludes that the IAF’s first-wave strikes could ground the PAF for at least two weeks in a sustained conflict, giving India a decisive edge.
The involvement of Turkish drones and support in Pakistan’s military strategy has drawn scrutiny. Indian intelligence officials have confirmed that Turkey provided drone trainers and possibly real-time operational support to Pakistan during the conflict. This collaboration, cemented by high-level visits, including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trip to Ankara to thank President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for “resolute support,” has strained India-Turkey relations. In response, India revoked the security clearance of Turkish company Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd on May 15, citing national security concerns.
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