SOURCE: AFI
In the aftermath of India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is grappling with the consequences of precision strikes on its airbases. Recently surfaced PAF tender documents indicate that at least one Lockheed C-130B Hercules transport aircraft sustained significant damage during the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes, with repairs now underway to restore its airworthiness.
The documents, while sparse on details, point to damage concentrated on the aircraft’s nose, likely caused by a nearby explosion. This revelation comes as the IAF claims one C-130A/B was destroyed on the ground, with the damaged C-130B possibly being a second aircraft parked nearby. Images published by the Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org) showing a massive fire near a PAF C-130 further corroborate the intensity of the strikes, raising questions about the PAF’s operational readiness and the economic toll of repairing critical assets.
According to PAF tender documents, a C-130B Hercules stationed at a targeted airbase—most likely Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi)—suffered damage requiring urgent repairs. The documents specify damage to the aircraft’s nose section, suggesting an explosion in close proximity, possibly from a precision-guided munition like the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile used extensively in Operation Sindoor. While the tender lacks detailed technical specifications, it outlines the need for specialized parts and expertise to restore the aircraft, indicating the complexity of the repairs.
The C-130B, a 1960s-era transport aircraft, is a workhorse of the PAF’s logistics fleet, used for troop transport, medical evacuation, and disaster relief. The PAF operates a small number of C-130 variants, including A and B models, with Nur Khan serving as a key hub for these assets. The tender’s issuance underscores the strategic importance of the C-130B and the PAF’s intent to salvage it despite significant damage. However, the repair process is likely to be costly and time-consuming, given the aircraft’s age, the need for imported parts, and Pakistan’s strained economic situation.
The IAF, in a press briefing on May 12, 2025, claimed that Operation Sindoor inflicted severe losses on the PAF, including the destruction of a C-130A/B on the ground at Nur Khan Air Base. Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, emphasized the precision of the strikes, which targeted critical infrastructure and high-value assets. World-renowned air warfare historian Tom Cooper, cited by idrw.org, corroborated this claim, noting that a C-130 Hercules was destroyed during a missile strike on Nur Khan, a vital logistics hub.
The damaged C-130B referenced in the tender documents may be a second aircraft parked nearby, as suggested by IAF sources. Images published by idrw.org, showing a massive fire near a PAF C-130 at Nur Khan, lend credence to this theory. The fire, likely triggered by a BrahMos or SCALP missile strike, could have caused collateral damage to adjacent aircraft, including the C-130B’s nose. Social media posts on X also reference videos of fires at Nur Khan, with some speculating that the base’s transport aircraft, including C-130s and Saab 2000 Erieye AWACS, were primary targets.
Images published by idrw.org, credited to sources like KawaSpace and Maxar Technologies, provide visual evidence of the strikes’ impact at Nur Khan. One striking image shows a large fire near a C-130, with flames and smoke indicating a direct or near-direct hit. The Washington Post, analyzing satellite imagery, reported damage to six PAF airfields, including Nur Khan, with three hangars, two runways, and mobile buildings affected. The fire’s proximity to the C-130 aligns with the tender documents’ description of nose damage from a nearby explosion, suggesting shrapnel or blast effects.
The PAF’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) initially claimed that “all PAF assets remain safe,” but satellite imagery and international media reports contradict this narrative. The New York Times, citing before-and-after images, noted that India inflicted more significant damage on Pakistani facilities than vice versa, with Nur Khan’s infrastructure heavily impacted. The fire near the C-130, combined with the confirmed destruction of a hangar at Bholari housing a Saab 2000 Erieye AWACS, underscores the precision and scale of India’s strikes.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.