Viral video: Ex-Pakistan Air Marshal admits losing AWACS at Bholari airbase during Operation Sindoor

Although the Pakistani government has not officially acknowledged the damage from the Operation Sindoor airstrikes, a former Pakistani Air Marshal has revealed that an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft was destroyed by Indian airstrikes at the Bholari Airbase in Sindh province on the early morning of May 10.

In an interview, ex-Air Marshal Masood Akhtar said the Pakistani military tried to save the AWACS aircraft, but the missiles kept coming.

“They (Indian forces) fired four back-to-back Brahmos surface-to-surface missiles or air-to-surface missiles, I am not sure. The Pakistani pilots rushed to secure their aircraft, but the missiles kept on coming, and unfortunately, the fourth one hit the hangar at Bholari airbase, where one of our AWACS was standing. It was damaged,” Masood Akhtar said.

The AWACS is designed to detect aircraft, ships, vehicles, missiles, and other incoming threats from long distances.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was India's swift retaliatory strike targeting nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). The Operation followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 25 tourists and a local were killed.

After India targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Pakistani military attempted to breach Indian air defences. However, the attempt failed and India struck back by hitting Pakistani airbases and destroying key military areas and equipment.

The military strikes continued for four days before the Pakistani DGMO dialled his Indian counterpart to reach an agreement.

Meanwhile, in a strong warning to Pakistan, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that Operation Sindoor is not over yet and whatever happened was “just a trailer”.

“We have kept Pakistan on probation. If its behaviour improves, then okay, otherwise, it will be given the strictest punishment,” he said.