IAF Shoots Down Pakistani Aircraft From 300 km Away in Largest-Ever Surface-to-Air Kill
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh revealed that during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force (IAF) downed a large Pakistani aircraft—including either an ELINT or AEW&C plane—at an unprecedented distance of around 300 kilometers. This marks the largest surface-to-air missile kill publicly known, demonstrating India’s enhanced air superiority.
The kill dealt a major psychological and strategic blow to Pakistan, especially if the downed aircraft was an AEW&C, a critical asset for airspace surveillance and threat detection. Pakistan reportedly operates only 6 to 8 such specialized planes.
This capability was enabled by the induction of Russian S-400 air defense missile systems, capable of targeting threats up to 450 km away. India has already received three squadrons under a $5.43 billion deal, with two more expected soon, and is exploring further acquisitions and indigenous long-range air defense projects like DRDO’s Project Kusha.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-administered territory after the Pahalgam terror attack, leading to four days of clashes that ended on May 10 with a ceasefire understanding.
