India says a Pakistani jet of a particular ‘call sign’ went missing in February 27 strike. The IAF also has radio intercepts of the Pakistan military picked up by the Indian Army, which point to two pilots bailing out and then being caught by the Pakistan military

NEW DELHI: A Pakistani fighter aircraft of a particular ‘call sign’ went missing after IAF’s Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot it down using his MiG-21 Bison jet during the February 27 dogfight with the Pakistan Air Force.

Top IAF sources on Friday said that the Pakistani aircraft was a F-16 and enemy radio transmissions which were monitored showed that it didn’t return to its base.

The aircraft was also not responding to radio transmission calls, indicating that it had been shot down by Varthaman. This crucial evidence is among many which were shown by Indian Air Force (IAF) sources. The IAF has electronic signatures presented by its Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft which show that F-16s were used by Pakistan on February 27. Importantly, the F-16 which was shot down, had disappeared about 8 to 10 seconds after Varthaman had fired at it.

IAF also has wireless intercepts of the Pakistan military picked up by the Indian Army, which point to two pilots bailing out and then being caught by the Pakistan military. Three intercepts were shown pointing to Abhinandan’s capture and hospitalisation of the Pakistani F-16 pilot. All these evidences were presented as the IAF’s reiteration that one of its MiG-21 Bison aircraft had shot down an F-16 fighter aircraft during the aerial engagement with Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which took place west of Jhangar on the Line of Control. It was to rebut an article by American news publication, Foreign Policy, claiming that US officials recently counted Pakistan’s F-16s and found none missing.

The IAF in a statement on Friday said that during the aerial engagement on February 27, one of its MiG-21 Bison shot down a F-16 in J&K’s Nowshera sector. “Indian forces have confirmed sighting ejections at two different places on that day. The two sightings were at places separated by at least 8-10 km. One was an IAF MiG-21 Bison and the other a PAF aircraft. Electronic signatures gathered by us indicate that the PAF aircraft was a F-16,” said Air Vice Marshal R.G.K. Kapoor, assistant chief of air staff (Operations).

Sources said the first parachute was sighted in Sabzkot, while the second one belonging to Varthaman was spotted in Tandar, both in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. There was a distance of about five to six km between the two pilots, including the F-16 one.

The IAF’s AWACS had confirmed the electronic signatures of the F-16s. Sources also said the Radio Transmissions of the various Pakistani aircraft, which were involved in the aerial engagement, were monitored. The IAF became aware of the different call signs used for the Pakistani aircraft. These signs are code words used to identify a particular equipment, in this case an aircraft. One of the call signs was of a F-16, which was shot down. “The RT (read as Radio Transmission) calls we had monitored, indicate that the F-16s were involved in the combat. One aircraft didn’t respond to the RT call,” said sources.

“This aircraft of a particular call sign had also not returned,” they added. Out of the Pakistani aircraft, only a F-16 was shot down.

Also, electronic support measures showed that the F-16 went down.

The Indian Army had picked up wireless intercepts of Pakistan 7 Northern Light Infantry (NLI) to an ‘unidentified station’ on February 27. It claimed that two pilots were captured. “Ye enemy ka tabah hua hai jo parinda tha enemy ka tha unko wo jo dono parinde wale hain un dono ko pakad liya” (This is the enemy’s aircraft. Their two pilots have been captured) reads the intercept.

Another intercept of the 7 NLI on the same day confirmed that one of the two pilots is with them and the other with the 658 Mujahid Battalion. “Enemy ka jo tabah huwa parinda wale pakad ke humne apni unit me laya abhi dusra bhi 658 wallon ne unko bhi pakad liya over”. (One of the two pilots is with us and the other with the 658 Mujahid Battalion), it reads.

A third intercept reveals that Varthaman has been captured and the other pilot who was injured has been admitted to a military hospital in Mangla. “Wing Comd Abhi dusra zakhami CHM transfer. Dusra ek hai zakmi who CMH me hai.” (One is Abhinandan and the other injured has been transferred to the military hospital), it said.

Sources said even Pakistan had officially pointed at having two pilots. The media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, the Inter-Services Public Relations, had posted on Twitter that two aircraft of India was shot down and one pilot was captured, while the other was hospitalised. Sources added that only one Indian aircraft was shot down and Pakistan’s statements only confirm that a F-16 was shot down.