PAF lost 5 Jets in High-Stakes Aerial Clash, Including Possible Saab AWACS

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

In a powerful display of air superiority, the Indian Air Force (IAF) shot down at least five Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft during Operation Sindoor, a decisive counteroffensive launched in response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. At a press conference on May 12, Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, confirmed that the IAF’s advanced air defense systems (ADS) and fighter jets neutralized several high-tech PAF aircraft, though he refrained from specifying exact numbers.

Sources cited by the Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org) revealed that the downed aircraft included one Mirage-5, two JF-17 Thunder jets, one F-16, and an unidentified fifth aircraft. Bharti also hinted at the destruction of a high-value target, widely speculated to be one of Pakistan’s nine Saab 2000 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, either shot down or damaged in a strike on a hangar at PAF Base Bholari. This article explores the IAF’s aerial triumphs, the role of its anti-drone and air defense systems, and the strategic implications of these losses for Pakistan.

According to sources cited by idrw.org, the IAF’s air defense systems and fighter jets shot down at least five PAF aircraft during the May 6–10 engagements:

1. Mirage-5: Part of a PAF strike package targeting Indian positions, the Mirage-5, a 1960s-era French-designed ground attack aircraft, was likely downed by an Indian surface-to-air missile (SAM), possibly the indigenous Akash system. The Mirage-5’s outdated avionics and lack of modern EW capabilities made it vulnerable to India’s layered defenses.
2. Two JF-17 Thunder Jets: Pakistan’s Chinese-Pakistani co-developed JF-17 Block IIIs, armed with PL-15 missiles, were confirmed damaged by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on May 8. These jets, designed for cost-effective multirole operations, were likely engaged by IAF Rafales or Su-30MKIs in beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat or targeted by SAMs like the S-400 or Akash.
3. F-16: A U.S.-supplied F-16 Block 52, equipped with AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles, was reportedly downed by an Indian SAM, possibly during an attempted incursion near Pathankot or Jammu. The F-16’s loss is significant, given its role as a mainstay of PAF’s air superiority fleet.
4. Unidentified Aircraft: The fifth aircraft’s identity remains unconfirmed, with speculation ranging from another JF-17 to a Chinese J-10C, which Pakistan claims outperformed India’s Rafales. The lack of wreckage, as noted by Bharti, complicates identification, as engagements occurred near the border.
5. Saab 2000 Erieye AWACS: Bharti’s reference to a “high-tech aircraft” has fueled speculation that one of Pakistan’s nine Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft was either shot down or destroyed in a hangar at PAF Base Bholari. Satellite imagery from Kawa Space, shared on X, revealed severe damage to a hangar at Bholari, with debris indicating a precision strike, likely by a BrahMos air-launched cruise missile (ALCM). The Saab Erieye, critical for PAF’s airborne surveillance, represents a high-value loss, crippling Pakistan’s situational awareness.

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