Fri May 16 11:50:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
**Headline: Former Pakistani Air Chief Admits Loss of AWACS in Indian Retaliation**
**Islamabad, Pakistan** – A retired Pakistani Air Marshal, Masood Akhtar, has publicly acknowledged the loss of a critical Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft during India’s “Operation Sindoor” in May. The admission, made in an interview with Pakistani media, confirms long-standing speculation about the extent of damage inflicted by Indian strikes following a terror attack in Pahalgam.
According to Akhtar, the AWACS, a vital asset for long-range radar surveillance and airspace control, was destroyed at Bholari airbase near Islamabad. He stated that the base was targeted by a barrage of Indian missiles, believed to be Brahmos surface-to-surface or air-to-surface missiles. “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,” Akhtar said.
The revelation is significant because the Pakistani military had previously downplayed the impact of the Indian strikes, which were launched in retaliation for Pakistan’s escalation of the situation by attacking civilian areas in India with drones.
Indian military sources report that after the Pahalgam attack, India launched precision cruise missile strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure. After Pakistan attacked civilian areas, India responded hitting selected military targets deep inside Pakistani territory such as radar installations, command and control centres, and ammunition depots in Rafiqui, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Bholari, and Sialkot among others.. Targets included radar installations, command and control centers, and ammunition depots across multiple locations.
“It was time to convey some message to the adversary… hit where it would hurt,” said Air Marshal AK Bharti, commenting on the operation. “We have the ability to target every system in the air bases, but we showed restraint to avoid escalation.”
The incident marks the first time, according to Indian military sources, that one nuclear-armed country has successfully damaged air force assets of another. Satellite imagery, which had previously contradicted Pakistani claims of minimal damage, now appears to be substantiated by Akhtar’s confirmation. The destruction of the AWACS represents a significant blow to Pakistan’s air defense capabilities.
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