IAF shot down Pakistan's 6 fighters, a large aircraft during Op Sindoor: Air Force Chief

Bengaluru | Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Saturday said the Indian Air Force has confirmed the shooting down of six fighters and a large aircraft of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, describing it as the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill by India.

"We have an indication of at least one AWC in that AWC hanger, and a few F-16s, which are under maintenance there. We have at least five fighters confirmed kill and one large aircraft which could be either aircraft or an AWC which was taken at a distance of about 300 kilometres.

This is actually the largest ever recorded surface to Air kill that we have achieved,” he said during the 16th edition of the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture here.

Based on specific intelligence, Singh said, the IAF took the decision to attack the airfield.

"So the airfield was attacked and the main building where the planning goes on, which was also used as the civil terminal building at times. As far as Sukoor airbase is concerned, we attacked the UAB hanger and radar site," he said.

"You have the visuals available here — this is the hanger which is flattened, this is the radar site before and after. AWC hanger was attacked again. Here we have very clearly an aircraft inside where the attack took place,” he said.

Regarding Sargodha, the IAF chief said, "We have grown up in our Air Force dreaming about days like this. Someday we get a chance. Just so happens that I got a chance before my retirement. We attacked the airfield that we had the very hard info on the F-16s," he added.