SOURCE: AFI
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is grappling with significant vulnerabilities following a series of precision strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF) during Operation Sindoor, conducted from May 7 to May 10, 2025. Reports circulating on X and various media outlets indicate that the IAF has degraded or destroyed 20-30% of Pakistan’s early warning capabilities, exposing wide-open gaps in its air defense network. This strategic setback has not only compromised Pakistan’s ability to detect and respond to aerial threats but also raised questions about the effectiveness of its heavily Chinese-supported military infrastructure.
Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, primarily tourists, in Indian-administered Kashmir. India attributed the attack to Pakistan-based terror groups, prompting a swift and coordinated military response. Over four days, the IAF targeted key PAF airbases, radar systems, and command centers, including Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Bholari in Sindh, Sargodha, and Jacobabad, among others. The operation utilized advanced weaponry, such as BrahMos and SCALP cruise missiles, alongside loitering munitions and dummy pilotless aircraft to overwhelm Pakistani defenses.
The IAF’s strikes were meticulously planned to cripple Pakistan’s air defense network. Satellite imagery and media reports confirm extensive damage to PAF infrastructure, with runways cratered, hangars destroyed, and radar systems knocked out. A notable loss was a Saab 2000 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, a critical asset for situational awareness, reportedly destroyed in a hangar at Bholari airbase. This loss, combined with the destruction of ground-based radar sites in Punjab, Lahore, and Karachi, has severely hampered Pakistan’s ability to monitor its airspace.This degradation has forced the PAF into a defensive posture, with aircraft relocated to rear bases and operations limited by damaged runways. Sources cited by the Times of India noted that Pakistani air command was left in disarray, unable to assess the battlefield or detect incoming threats effectively. The loss of early warning capabilities has also exposed the limitations of Pakistan’s reliance on Chinese technology, with the HQ-9 systems failing to intercept Indian missiles and drones, a failure that has embarrassed both Pakistan and its primary arms supplier, China.
The IAF’s ability to inflict such extensive damage—destroying nearly 20% of PAF infrastructure, as claimed by India’s Press Information Bureau—has exposed the fragility of Pakistan’s military modernization efforts. Pakistan has heavily invested in Chinese-made fighter jets like the JF-17 and J-10C, as well as air defense systems like the HQ-9, with China accounting for over 80% of its arms imports between 2019 and 2024. However, the failure of these systems to counter Indian strikes has highlighted a technological gap, undermining Pakistan’s deterrence capabilities.
The financial burden of rebuilding PAF infrastructure will exacerbate Pakistan’s economic challenges. Repairing runways, replacing destroyed aircraft, and restoring early warning systems will require billions of dollars, a significant strain on a nation already grappling with a debt crisis. This setback, described by sources as a “five-year degradation” of PAF capabilities, may force Pakistan to seek further loans from China, deepening its economic dependency and limiting its strategic autonomy.
Operation Sindoor has demonstrated India’s growing military prowess and its willingness to escalate in response to provocations, even in a nuclear-armed rivalry. By targeting high-value assets like AEW&C aircraft and radar systems, the IAF has not only weakened Pakistan’s air defenses but also sent a strategic message: India has the reach and capability to strike deep into Pakistani territory with impunity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that Indian forces can strike any corner of Pakistan has been proven on the battlefield, forcing Pakistan’s military leadership to reconsider its aggressive posture.
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.