ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Monday unveiled the wreckage ofIndian Air Force (IAF)’s MiG-21 Bison, hit by a PAF fighter jet on February27 last year, contradicting the Indian claim of shooting down a PakistaniF-16 aircraft.
The PAF’s Director Media Affairs flanked by Assistant Chief of Air Staff(Planning) Air Commodore Syed Omar Shah gave a detailed briefing to themedia on the victory of “Operation Swift Retort” here at the AirHeadquarters.
He also showed the missiles of MiG-21 Bison recovered from the wreckage ofIAF fighter being piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan and shot down by thePAF fighter jets during the dogfight on February 27 last.
Air Commodore Syed Omar Shah said the MiG-21 Bison was equipped with twoR-73 Archer missiles and two R-77 Adder missiles on its left and rightwings, which were never fired. Since the aircraft after being hit fell onthe left side that completely damaged the two missiles attached on the leftwing.
The two R-73 Archer and R-77 Adder missiles, which attached on the rightwing of MiG-21, were recovered almost intact from the aircraft’s wreckagewhereas the left wing missiles were damaged, particularly the R-77 Adderwhose rocket motor got burnt under the rubble, he added.
Air Commodore Shah noted that after analysis of the recovered missiles itwas found that none of them was fired, rejecting the claim of IAF that WingCommander Abhinandan had fired a R-73 Archer missile at the PAF jet beforehis aircraft was shot down.
“The rocket motor has been found attached with the missile launcher thatclearly proves that the MiG-21 piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan did notfire any of its missiles and inflicted no damage on the PAF aircraft,” hemaintained.
The Operation Swift Retort, he said, would be remembered as a “chronicle ofvalour and heroism”, which gave a message to the international communitythat their quest for peace should not be misconstrued by the enemy as theirweakness.
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He said though the independent sources had also denied the IAF’s claims ofshooting down PAF’s F-16 fighter plane yet Wing Commander Abhinandan wasawarded the highest military award by the Indian government. Moreover, theIAF chief’s claim of hitting an F-16 with a R-73 Archer missile was aquestion mark on the professionalism of his force, he added.
Air Commodore Shah said when the IAF tried to violate Pakistan’s airspaceit was “unilaterally perceived to be challenging the sovereignty ofPakistan”. In response to the the IAF’s violation of Pakistan’s airspace,four key targets had been locked, including Headquarters 80 Brigade PunchSector, Headquarters 120 Brigade and two others. The PAF’s swift operationhad surprised the IAF as they were unable to respond, he added.
He said the main reason behind a year-long delay in making public thewreckage of MiG-21 Bison was a war-like situation which prevailed at thetime of dog-fight.
The PAF pilots avoided to hit the locked targets due to the rules ofengagement decided by the country’s leadership, he added.
Meanwhile, PAF also released a new song “Allah-o-Akbar” sung by ShujahHaider to pay tribute to its brave fighter pilots, who shot down twointruding IAF fighter jets on February 27 last year.
