NEW DELHI – Indian journalist Shekhar Gupta in his column in *HindustanTimeslink*admittedthat Indian Air Force (IAF)’s best fighting jets-MiG-21, who are thebackbone of the airforce were “outranged and outgunned” by Pakistan AirForce (PAF) on February 27.
In his piece, he wrote that whether the Rafale deal is a scam or the bestthing for India’s defence is for more eminent people to debate. Let me,meanwhile, list four facts emerging from the February 26-27 air skirmishesto bring the story of what should be called the real Rafale scandal.
*In the Rajouri-Mendhar sector air skirmish a day after the Indian AirForces’ (IAF)’s “Balakot strikes”, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was able tocreate surprise and local superiority — technological and numerical — in achosen battlefield.
It struck in daylight when least expected, and perfectly timed to attackthe changeover of IAF AWAC patrols. The outnumbered IAF pilots (12 aircraftof three vastly different types), scrambled from various bases and showedthe presence of mind not to walk into the ambush set for them, but theyfailed to deliver a deterrent punishment on PAF.
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“* Four Sukhoi-30s, the IAF’s most powerful air-superiority aircraft, wereinvolved in the melee at beyond visual range (BVR). They were surprised bythe PAF F-16s firing their American AMRAAM missiles from so far that theirown radar/computer/missiles were not able to give them a “firing solution”.Translated: India’s best fighter, which constitutes half of the IAF’scombat force, was outranged and outgunned,” Gupta wrote.
It is important to mention here that Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor clearly stated that PakistanAir Force (PAF) did not use F-16s in the dogfight with India. “PAF usedJF-17 Thunder in the air conflict on February 27,” Ghafoor stated.
