“There is no doubt that two aircraft went down in the aerial engagement on 27 February 2019 one of which was the bison of IAF while the other was F-16 of Pakistan Air Force conclusively identified by its electronic signature and radio transcripts,” the IAF statement read further.
Speaking to media after showing the proofs that India's MIG Bison shot down the F-16 fighter jet, Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor said, “We have more credible evidence that is clearly indicative of fact that Pakistan has lost one F-16 however due to security and confidentiality concerns we are restricting the information being shared in the public domain.”
As per reports, the IAF has released AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control System) radar images. “Certain official statements made by Pakistan's Director General Inter-Services Public Relations(DG-ISPR) also corroborate IAF stand, in his initial statement on 27 Feb, DG-ISPR categorically said, 3 pilots, one in custody and two in the area,” Kapoor said further.
Watch IAF Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor explaining how Abhinandan Varthaman's MiG-21 Bison shot Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet:
“DG-ISPR also stated on camera in a press conference that they had 2 pilots, 1 in custody and other admitted to hospital. Same was also corroborated by a statement of Pak PM. All this proves a total of 2 aircraft had gone down that day in the same area separated by about 1.5 min,” Kapoor said.
Last week, American news publication Foreign Policy had contradicted India quoting unnamed US defence officials as saying that Islamabad's F-16s were counted and ‘none were missing.’ According to foreign media reports, Pakistan had invited the United States to physically count its F-16 planes after the incident as part of an end-user agreement signed when the foreign military sale was finalised.