The historic dogfight against an intruding Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jet formation over Jammu and Kashmir seems to have convinced the Indian Air Force (IAF) bosses about the need to upgrade the weaponry on Indian fighter jets. The Pakistani intrusion came after Indian fighter jets’ bombed Balakot deep inside Pakistani territory on February 26 in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack.
Defence experts suggest that India’s escape with just one MiG-21 Bison lost after it was hit by a PAF F-16 missile forcing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to eject to the Pakistani zone of Kashmir was fortuitous. Though Abhinandan did shoot down an F-16 in the skirmish, the glaring failure to inflict a more telling blow to PAF has led to the discussion on the need for more potent weaponry on Indian fighters.Read More…
