Skip to main content

After China, Pakistan military says no F-16 used to shoot down Indian aircraft


Pakistan's military has rejected India's claim that it used US-made F-16 fighters jets against India in retaliation to its pre-emptive strikes on a JeM terror camp in Balakot, saying that JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used in the operation. 

Referring to the aerial dogfight with the Indian Air Force after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian jets violated the Pakistani airspace on February 26, dropping payloads without inflicting any casualties or damage to infrastructure. 

A day after Pakistan's attempt to retaliate the Indian Air Force's air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot, the Indian armed forces displayed parts of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) fired by an F-16, which fell in Indian territory. New Delhi had also underlined that electronic signatures captured by Indian radars had established the use of F-16 for the offensive. 



The US State Department announced that it was seeking more information from Pakistan on the potential use of American-made F-16 jets against India in violation of the end-user agreement. 

"The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not — because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne — now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise," Ghafoor told Russian news agency Sputnik International. 

He noted that Islamabad was discussing the use of its JF-17 with the United States citing "friendly relations" with Washington, stressing, however, that the country would use whatever it deemed necessary if it came to "legitimate self-defence." 

He said Pakistan only wanted to tell India that it has the capability to hit back. He said Pakistan has the footage of the operation. 

Ghafoor said that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a deterrence tool to prevent wars in the region. 

"Pakistan holds the position that this capability eliminates the possibility of conventional war. No sane country having this capability would talk about using it," Radio Pakistan quoted Ghafoor as saying in an interview with the Russian News agency 

He said the Pakistan would take steps towards non-proliferation of nuclear arms but only if India does the same. 

Ghafoor said Pakistan would welcome every effort, including that of Russia, which can bring peace in the region. 

On military cooperation with Russia, Ghafoor said Pakistan is negotiating defence industry cooperation with Moscow in the areas of aviation, air defence systems and anti-tank missiles. 

Pakistan's defence ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

Source Link: http://www.defencenews.in/article/After-China,-Pakistan-military-says-no-F-16-used-to-shoot-down-Indian-aircraft-583778

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Explained: What is Army Aviation Corps, the youngest Corps of the Indian Army

A look at the Army Aviation Corps’ history and its relevance in modern day battlefields, including in Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CI-CT) operations. Representative Image The Army Aviation Corps (AAC), the youngest Corps of the Indian Army, celebrated its 35th Corps Day on November 1. We take a look at the arm that adds an air dimension to the Army’s capabilities, its history, and its relevance in modern day battlefields, including Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CI-CT) operations. The roots of Army Aviation Corps The origin of the AAC can be traced back to the raising of the Army Aviation wing of the Royal Air Force in India in 1942, and the subsequent formation of the first Indian Air Observation Post in August 1947. The Air Observation Post units primarily acted as artillery spotters – which are the elements that help the artillery in directing the fire and also giving air support to ground forces. In the wars of 1965 and 1971, the Air Observation Post helicop...
Post a Comment
Read more

India's S-400, Nuke Subs, Rafales pose a serious threat to Pak - FM Qureshi

India’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defence systems, via a deal signed last year and worth $5.43 billion, has unnerved Pakistan, with Foreign Minister Shah Mohammed Qureshi describing the S-400s as destabilising weapon systems which could affect the region's strategic stability. Delivery of the first S-400 system is likely to take place in 2020. Expressing his apprehension about the arms purchase by India, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mohammed Qureshi has called on global powers to be "mindful" of their responsibility in terms of arms supplies to the region. "The introduction of new destabilising weapon systems, such as the S-400 anti-ballistic missile system, could further accentuate challenges to strategic stability. They can encourage a misadventure by an adversary, under a false sense of security," FM Shah Mohammed Qureshi said on Wednesday in Islamabad. Last October, India inked a $5.43 billion defence contract with Russia to purchase of five S-400 air...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explained: India-US defence deals - BECA, LEMOA & COMCASA

At 2+2 meeting next week, the two countries will look to push intelligence sharing pact BECA . With key deals LEMOA and COMCASA already signed, what does it mean for defence, particularly in light of LAC standoff? India and US have signed the LEMOA in 2016, COMCASA in 2018 and BECA is scheduled for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting (on November 3rd) India and the US are preparing for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh , and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark T Esper in New Delhi on October 26-27. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun visited India last week to lay the groundwork for the high-level visits 2+2 in 2018. One of the items on the agenda will be the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) — a pact with deep military implications. In the last two meetings, agreements known as LEMOA and COMCASA were signed; now, with BECA, these have been dubbed the ...
Post a Comment
Read more