- The CAS identifies two key imperatives behind the success of Op Sindoor – synchronisation between military and political leadership with full freedom given to Armed Forces, and the decisive role of Air Power as the primary responder and deterrent
- He stresses on the importance of indigenisation, R&D, jointness and synergy to strengthen future capabilities
- The CAS releases a commemorative souvenir marking the 16th Katre Memorial Lecture
NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, AUG 9
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Saturday confirmed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) shot down six Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor, including five fighter jets and a high-value surveillance platform, likely an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, and destroyed 9 terror hubs with precision strikes.
Referring to the AWACS as the “big bird”, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh said the Russian S-400 air defence systems were crucial in bringing down the airborne enemy targets and ensuring India dominated the airspace. The AWACS was about 300km away, and bringing it down was the longest-ever recorded surface-to-air elimination by the IAF in history, he reportedly said.
“These are the before and after images of the damage we caused at Bahawalpur, the JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammed) headquarters. There’s hardly any collateral here — the adjacent buildings are fairly intact,” he said, pointing to high-resolution visuals that corroborated the precision of the strikes.
Speaking at the 16th edition of the Air Chief Marshal L M Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, the Air Chief shared satellite imagery and intelligence inputs that detailed the extent of damage inflicted on Pakistan’s air fleet and terror infrastructure.
“Our air defence system has done a wonderful job. The S-400 system, which we had recently bought, has been a game-changer. The range of that system has really kept their aircraft away from their weapons, like those long-range glide bombs that they have. They have not been able to use any one of those because they have not been able to penetrate the system,” the IAF chief said.
The Russian-origin S-400 air defence system played a pivotal role in neutralising airborne threats during the operation. The system was credited with the aerial kills, including the downing of the AWACS aircraft, which posed a significant intelligence and coordination threat to Indian forces.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, underscoring the primacy of Air Power in modern military conflicts, and its significance in national security. The CAS identified two key imperatives behind the success of Op Sindoor – synchronisation between military and political leadership with full freedom given to Armed Forces, and the decisive role of Air Power as the primary responder and deterrent. Looking ahead, he stressed on the importance of indigenisation, R&D, jointness and synergy to strengthen future capabilities.
The event was organised by the Air Force Association, Karnataka Branch, in collaboration with HAL Bengaluru to reflect on the enduring legacy of Air Chief Marshal LM Katre and his lasting impact on Indian aviation. The gathering comprised veterans and personnel from Indian Air Force, HAL, DRDO, and allied aerospace industries.
The programme commenced with an invocation by students of the Air Force School, ASTE. Air Marshal HB Rajaram (Retd), President of the Air Force Association (Karnataka), welcomed the audience and spoke about the genesis of the memorial lecture series. He highlighted the remarkable contributions of late Air Chief Marshal LM Katre in the development of Indian military aviation, during his illustrious career spanning over four decades, in the Indian Air Force and HAL.
The Chairman and Managing Director of HAL delivered a special address, highlighting the evolving HAL-IAF partnership.
A commemorative souvenir marking the 16th Katre Memorial Lecture was released by the Chief Guest during the event. On this occasion Air Cmde Chandra Shekhar (Retd) was also felicitated by the CAS. The function concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Air Commodore AK Patra (Retd), Vice President of the Air Force Association Karnataka Branch.
