#OnThisDay 3 years ago Pakistan Air Force carried out airstrikes targeting Indian garrisons in Kashmir, code named #OperationSwiftRetort
2× Mirage VPAs from No 15 squadron #Cobras launched H-4 SOWs targeting depots in Naushera and Rajauri. Bombs were guided by 2× Mirage IIIDAs
In same instant two JF-17C Block 2 Thunders from No 16 MR Squadron #BlackPanthers launched 4× GPS guided Mk-83 REK bombs. All bombs landed in open grounds in Garrisons as PAF had delibrately steered them away. India claimed that bombs went off targets.
PAF Strike package was being escorted by sizeable number of fighters incl F-16s from No 9 Squadron #Griffins and No 29 Squadron #Aggressors and JF-17s from CCS #Dragons. SSS AEW&CS from No 3 squadron #Angels and DA-20 EW from No 24 Squadron #Blinders provided much needed support
... 2× IAF Su-30MKIs from No 15 squadron (221 sqn as claimed by PAF) and Mirage 2000Is from No 9 Squadron tried to intercept PAF fighters but were kept back after PAF F-16BM fired an AMRAAM at one of Sukhois. PAF claimed it was shot down but confirmation is hard to come by....
... Aircraft most likely survived proximity explosion. 5-6 MiG-21 Bisons belonging to No 51 squadron were scrambled from Srinagar AFS. Encountering heavy jamming leader of formation and CO, then Wing Commander Abhinandan lost his bearings and strayed into Pakistani...
... Airspace. He is alleged by India to be chasing PAF F-16s and shooting one down using R-73, but again confirmation has been hard to come by. Nonetheless he was struck by AMRAAM fired by OC No 29 squadron's F-16. He managed to eject and was taken POW. During same engagement..
.. An IAF Mi-17V-5 helo belonging to No 154 Helicopter unit was shot down.
It later transpired it was result of a fratricide when controllers at TADU Srinagar mistook it for UAV and engaged it.
Helo pilot reportedly had kept his IFF off while returning from a supply drop mission.
Everyone onboard ill fated chooper was killed. confirmed losses from engagement were IAF MiG-21 and Mi-17. Rest of claims were unverified.
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PAF F-16As vs VKS Su-25s encounter
12th April 1986
Parachinar
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A three-ship F-16 formation took off from Minhas AFB to mount CAP over Parachinar sector. Leader was Gp Capt Shahid Kamal with Sqn Ldrs Rahat Mujeeb and Khalid Chaudhry as No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. 1/n
Controller Squadron Leader Saif ur Rahman informed them about hostile tracks closing towards border. The formation checked fuel and switches on leader's call and cooled the AIM-9Ls. At about 20 NM short of Parachinar, formation picked two blips identified as Su-25 Frogfoot... 2/n
.... fighter bombers belonging to Soviet Air Force. Leader locked first bandit and reported that he was committed into attack. Formation raced on westerly heading at combat speeds. Bandits were sampled and leader fired first Sidewinder. Formation turned around... 3/n
PAF Mirages vs VKS Mi-24s encounter
Parachinar, 14th May 1986.
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Pair of Mirage VPA2s from No 18 TA Squadron #SharpShooters took from Kamra at 1100 hrs to mount CAP, SE of Parachinar at 15,000 ft. Leader was S/L Rao Qamar Suleiman (later CAS) and wingman was F/L Nawaz. 1/n
Controller, S/L Saif ur Rahman informed them about slow tracks heading towards Border.
After one abortive attempt, both Mirages descended to 3000 ft at 500 kts and picked tally with 6× VKS Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters attacking civilian population, at 3-4 NM range. Helos... 2/n
.. climbed to 7000 ft. Leader decided to engage first helo and asked to No 2 to attack last. He put sight on bandit and got immediate Cyrano IV's lock on, however, he didn't get missile lock on (AIM-9P) tone. At 1400 metres range, he switched to DEFA 30 mm cannons and..... 3/n
"Ghost of Dhaka"
0845 hours, 3rd December 1971.
Two PAF Sabres flown by junior F/O Shamsul Haq and even junior F/O Shamshad kept three successive IAF strikes at bay. They managed to fire at several of them. Shams shot down 1× IAF Hunter (flown by S/L KD Mehra)....1/n
..... He also damaged IAF Su-7. Sukhoi pilots cleverly fired a2g rockets at Sabres when their (Su-7s') mission stood aborted. He chased another Hunter entering Indian territory and claimed it using Sidewinder (confirmation hard to come by). Shamshad managed to land.... 2/n
Safely but Shams, who was out of ammunition, in show of bravado chased another Hunter he had spotted while Tezgaon scrambled another pair. He then came in for long overdue landing. while on short finals he couldn't believe his ears when he was warned about MiG-21 perched... 3/n