India’s Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh has officially declared that the IAF downed six Pakistani military aircraft. Five NaPak fighters and one large airborne platform—during May’s Operation Sindoor. This combat loss was part of the crippling strikes on parked jets and surveillance assets.
The Indian response to Pakistan’s Pahalgam attack was precise yet deadly. This was “the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill,” Air Chief Marshal Singh said. However, Pakistan’s government, of course, has denied losing even a single aircraft, sticking to its traditional “nothing to see here” script.
But Austrian military aviation historian Tom Cooper has dropped a tantalising twist: his research suggests more than five Pakistani aircraft were shot down!
Cooper hints at more F-16s that faced India; even more were destroyed on the ground than India, the US, or Pakistan is willing to admit. Cooper’s reading of satellite imagery, base activity, and field reports paints a grimmer picture for the PAF than either capital has put on record.
The F-16 Question Washington Won’t Touch
The most awkward subplot is the fate of the F-16s. India claims “a few” were hit in hangars at Jacobabad and another base. However, Cooper and other analysts think the damage could be worse. The doubt got wings when, in response to a journalist recently pressed, a U.S. State Department spokesperson deflected the question to Pakistani agencies. In earlier conflicts, like Balakot, the US was upfront about no losses. However, this time queries on any U.S.-supplied F-16s were destroyed in Operation Sindoor met a pure diplomatic dodge in response: “Ask Pakistan.”
Why the hush? because Publicly confirming F-16 losses could embarrass both Islamabad and Washington!
America’s end-use monitoring agreements stipulate that the jets be used for counter-terrorism. They are strictly never to be used for engaging with India. If U.S. crew or contractors stationed at those bases were anywhere near the hangar strikes, the admission becomes even more sensitive. Silence, in this case, may be the only way to protect both political narratives and contractual fig leaves.
How Much Did Pakistan Really Lose?
Tom Cooper’s “more than five” figure rests on subtle but telling signs:
- Prolonged runway closures at multiple PAF bases.
- Abrupt relocation of surviving AEW&C aircraft.
- New procurement orders for specific fighter parts.
- Satellite scorch marks on hangar complexes.
Add to that India’s own claim of destroying an AWACS at Bholari, damaging radars, and neutralising two command-and-control centres. The result shows that the cumulative impact could sideline key PAF capabilities for months.
Why The F-16 Question Matters
Losing even a couple of AEW&C aircraft plus multiple fighters compresses an air force’s kill chain. This loss makes it harder to spot, track, and intercept enemy aircraft. In all assessments, IAF had a free rein on NaPak skies all day on the 10th of May! Chagai Hills, Kirana Hills, and Nur Khan Air Base defanged NaPak’s Nuclear ambitions. Moreover, they crippled the USA’s CENTCOM presence via Atankistan!
If Tom Cooper’s assessment is correct, PAF’s reduced sortie generation and cautious posture post-Sindoor aren’t just a choice; they’re a necessity.
In the end, the NaPak denials and the USA’s silence over the F-16s may be the loudest indicator of what really happened. Both Washington and Islamabad have every reason to keep that particular scoreboard hidden. Thus, IAF’s latest measured estimate of NaPak losses tells only half the truth. Meanwhile, the wreckage, burnt trails, ruined runways, and fragmented hangar remains – somewhere in Pakistan – tell the real story.
