Operation Balakot: News & Discussion

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 18 May 2019 22:37

shyamd wrote:
shyamd wrote:It would be good to see full report. In my view, TSP is conducting retreat but with a view to escalate in covert domain at the right time.

What ISI/TSPA will do is to escalate through increase supply of lethality to terror groups in valley - like armoured piercing bullets and mount attacks against security forces/bases.

What GoI will be doing is to wait and watch post passes melting. In my view GoI has to sustain the pressure until TSPA gives up terror completely.

All this is part of the direct covert negotiations at NSA level
Terror alerts issued for Awantipora and Srinagar Air bases

Dead terrorists carrying maps of Awantipora AFS - shows that ISI are able to communicate to groups inside J&K and demonstrate capability.

The action has somewhat shifted to Af-Pak region - both sides targetting each others intel agents and proxies.

aylamrin · Post by **aylamrin** » 21 May 2019 17:19

Found this link about the helo crash on Feb 27, not sure if this is posted before:

https://theprint.in/defence/iaf-men-fac ... re/238013/

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 21 May 2019 21:11

All this is being discussed in the IAF thread. Please help by not posting everywhere.

Kartik · Post by **Kartik** » 21 May 2019 21:24

Was this posted before?

No.51 Squadron issues new patch 'Falcon Slayers' and 'AMRAAM dodgers'

The Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison Squadron No. 51 has come up with new shoulder patches with title 'Falcon Slayers' to commemorate the shooting down of Pakistan Air Force's F-16 fighter jet by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on February 27 this year.

Abhinandan was stationed at Srinagar air base with his squadron No. 51, when PAF F-16 jets intruded Indian air space in retaliation to Balakot airstrike by the IAF a day earlier. He engaged in a dogfight with a vastly superior F-16 jet and shot it down. Abhinandan is first ever pilot to shoot down a US-made F-16 fighter jet.

In the process, his plane also crashed and he was captured by Pakistani forces and released after diplomatic dialogue, a couple of days later.

Since the episode, Varthaman has been officially moved from No. 51 Squadron to No. 23 Squadron (Panthers) which is equipped with MiG-21 Bison and based at Suratgarh Air Force Station but the F-16 kill will remain with his previous No. 51 Squadron while the kill will be credited to Varthaman.

The heroics of the day also earned the squadron the title 'AMRAAM Dodger', for successfully evading the AMRAAM missiles of the PAF F-16s. Pilots of the Su-30MKI Squadron, which also took part in the aerial intercept and survived the volley of 4-5 AMRAAMs fired by the Pak jets, have also given themselves the 'AMRAAM Dodger' title in new patches.

..

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 22 May 2019 01:51

What is the SU-30MKI squadron number?

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 22 May 2019 02:10

ramana wrote:What is the SU-30MKI squadron number?

Was it revealed which squadron they were from? My uneducated guess would be No. 220 or 221 from Halwara perhaps, based on closest peacetime posting. It is probable that there was a detachment at Pathankot or Awantipur post Balakot due to heightened tensions and state of alert.

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 27 May 2019 13:22

For those who were poohpoohing the veracity of the strikes based on relative non destruction of the balakot targets, here is an awesome video of a top attack carried out by the much bigger Taurus kepd. None of the dramatic Hollywood style pyrotechnics....but utterly destructive.

https://youtu.be/4BNDZZnZPxc

As one can see the rather flimsy top structure remains virtually intact.

Rishi · Post by **Rishi** » 27 May 2019 16:52

https://theprint.in/defence/indian-army ... eb/241324/

Indian Army commanders left Brigade HQ ‘minutes before’ PAF bomb fell in compound 27 Feb
Pakistan has claimed bomb was dropped near Brigade HQ in Rajouri to show its capability. India believes PAF actually planned to hit the facility.
SNEHESH ALEX PHILIP
Updated: 27 May, 2019 1:46 pm IST

Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh had visited troops along LoC in Rajouri Sector on February 27. | Twitter: @NorthernComd_IA
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New Delhi: When Pakistan Air Force fighter jets dropped a bomb near an Indian defence installation in Jammu and Kashmir on 27 February — a day after the Balakot strike by the Indian Air Force — Islamabad claimed that this was done to display its capability and not target the Indian military.

The H-4 Stand-Off Weapon, a precision-guided glide bomb, dropped by the PAF fell into the compound of the Indian Army Brigade Headquarters in the Rajouri sector, making it a close call.

This call, ThePrint has learnt, was much closer than known earlier as two top Indian Army commanders — Northern Army Commander Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh and 16 Corps Commander Lt Gen. Paramjit Singh — had stepped out of the Brigade Headquarters “minutes before” the bomb fell.

The two commanders, top sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint, had left for a nearby post when the PAF bomb fell into the compound of the Brigade Headquarters. This post was less than 700 metres from the spot where the bomb struck.

The Northern Command and the Indian Army headquarters did not respond to requests for comment from ThePrint for this report.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 28 May 2019 16:49

We definitely need to avenge this raid, and probably be better prepared to take down some more PAF assets without loosing any of our aircraft.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 28 May 2019 18:40

^^rohit had said this thing long back on the forum itself, was it avenged through the so called "cold wave"?

nam · Post by **nam** » 28 May 2019 20:18

What we need is GE images mapping the Pak Brigade/Battalion/Company HQ and Depots near LoC.

We can then see the before and after image of what's left of it.

Varoon Shekhar · Post by **Varoon Shekhar** » 29 May 2019 01:13

Some of these commentators- Vishu Som, Rahul Bedi, Ajai Shukla, John Cherian, Praveen Sawhney et al, are stirring the pot, enfant terrible/devil's advocate, motivated, perfectionists, or simply anti-Indian. Sawhney never has anything nice to say about anything Indian.

rpartha · Post by **rpartha** » 29 May 2019 02:01

Rishi wrote:https://theprint.in/defence/indian-army ... eb/241324/

Indian Army commanders left Brigade HQ ‘minutes before’ PAF bomb fell in compound 27 Feb
Pakistan has claimed bomb was dropped near Brigade HQ in Rajouri to show its capability. India believes PAF actually planned to hit the facility.
SNEHESH ALEX PHILIP
Updated: 27 May, 2019 1:46 pm IST

Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh had visited troops along LoC in Rajouri Sector on February 27. | Twitter: @NorthernComd_IA
Text Size: A- A+
309
Shares

New Delhi: When Pakistan Air Force fighter jets dropped a bomb near an Indian defence installation in Jammu and Kashmir on 27 February — a day after the Balakot strike by the Indian Air Force — Islamabad claimed that this was done to display its capability and not target the Indian military.

The H-4 Stand-Off Weapon, a precision-guided glide bomb, dropped by the PAF fell into the compound of the Indian Army Brigade Headquarters in the Rajouri sector, making it a close call.

This call, ThePrint has learnt, was much closer than known earlier as two top Indian Army commanders — Northern Army Commander Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh and 16 Corps Commander Lt Gen. Paramjit Singh — had stepped out of the Brigade Headquarters “minutes before” the bomb fell.

The two commanders, top sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint, had left for a nearby post when the PAF bomb fell into the compound of the Brigade Headquarters. This post was less than 700 metres from the spot where the bomb struck.

The Northern Command and the Indian Army headquarters did not respond to requests for comment from ThePrint for this report.

This is serious stuff. If this is true they should have had intel on the ground. We cannot dismiss it as mere coincidence...

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 29 May 2019 04:30

GoI knows J&K is littered with ISI spies. The network covers all bases, politicians etc.
More importantly, IA targeted a TSP Brigade HQ in response in subsequent action.
GoI response to Pulwama is ongoing. News will trickle out in weeks, months and years ahead

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 29 May 2019 16:02

Any idea why the Pakis are still doing this and refusing millions of USD in overflight rights. I think they will wait till monsoons to open airspace, seems they are still scared of some IAF attacks

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/ec ... 284459.ece

Mukesh.Kumar · Post by **Mukesh.Kumar** » 29 May 2019 16:23

Aditya_V wrote:Any idea why the Pakis are still doing this and refusing millions of USD in overflight rights. I think they will wait till monsoons to open airspace, seems they are still scared of some IAF attacks

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/ec ... 284459.ece

It's hard to find the costs to the Pakistani Exchequer but the brunt is being borne by airlines and passengers. For example because of rerouting Air India has lost USD 50 mn till end April.

I believe that the costs lost to Pakistan aren't that high. Taking Afghanistan as an analog @$400 per flight and the fact that this had been going on for 12 weeks with rerouting of 321 flights (say 5 times a week) or 20K flights changed. Then the loss is $ 8 mn. Even if you add in other revenue and keep margin of error cost would be $20mn. Not chump change but not very significant also

Ref- http://www.janesairport360.com/article/ ... ce-closure

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 29 May 2019 17:07

Not that significant but you must add PIA flights to South Asia and except Beijing all Chinese routes must be also much more costly. Yes it hurting India but is probably proportionately hurting Pakistan a lot. But the bulk .of the burden is felt international carriers flying east west

yensoy · Post by **yensoy** » 29 May 2019 19:15

PIA is not hurting. There were very very few flights going east and now there are none.

But Paki consumers who need to head east are hurting.

Also hurting is highly reduced overflight dollars coming into Paki coffers.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 29 May 2019 20:30

shyamd wrote:GoI knows J&K is littered with ISI spies. The network covers all bases, politicians etc.
More importantly, IA targeted a TSP Brigade HQ in response in subsequent action.
GoI response to Pulwama is ongoing. News will trickle out in weeks, months and years ahead

remember reading stories of paki spies franatically phoning their masters during kargil war after IAF jets were taking off from bases in J&K

tapan · Post by **tapan** » 30 May 2019 05:07

Unconfirmed -
Several twitter users talking about another airstrike on Tarbela, Pakistan in the last 7=8 hours.

https://mobile.twitter.com/bababanaras/ ... 4670516224

https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/Tarb ... htag_click

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 30 May 2019 05:11

I love Baba Banaras (I really do!), but the dude really writes some yarns! I hope it is true.

tapan · Post by **tapan** » 30 May 2019 05:24

https://mobile.twitter.com/bababanaras/ ... 4670516224

tapan · Post by **tapan** » 30 May 2019 05:25

Rakesh wrote:I love Baba Banaras (I really do!), but the dude really writes some yarns! I hope it is true.

I know but man,felling giddy with happiness.

DrRatnadip · Post by **DrRatnadip** » 30 May 2019 11:17

Baba seems pretty confident.. Hope its true.

mmasand · Post by **mmasand** » 30 May 2019 11:36

Rakesh wrote:I love Baba Banaras (I really do!), but the dude really writes some yarns! I hope it is true.

Something in the works in the vicinity to Mardan, there has been a drone up there for the better part of the hour, in addition to the drones above Lahore and Gujranwala.

JTull · Post by **JTull** » 30 May 2019 13:03

This extension of flight restrictions above TSP seems to be connected to this action in Tarbela/Ghazi.

partha · Post by **partha** » 30 May 2019 15:16

JTull wrote:This extension of flight restrictions above TSP seems to be connected to this action in Tarbela/Ghazi.

Can't say. Pakistan has been continuously extending the airspace closure since Balakot. They are paranoid and also saving jet fuel. We just don't have any data to say something happened in Tarbela other than Babaji's tweet.

Khalsa · Post by **Khalsa** » 30 May 2019 16:32

yensoy wrote:PIA is not hurting. There were very very few flights going east and now there are none.

But Paki consumers who need to head east are hurting.

Also hurting is highly reduced overflight dollars coming into Paki coffers.

I think its hurting us a bit more than them.
Our absorption capacity is bigger than them.
We have a lot more traffic that heads to EU and Eurasia then them heading eastwards.

abhijitm · Post by **abhijitm** » 30 May 2019 17:11

ACM was absent when Modi visited war memorial in the morning.

srin · Post by **srin** » 30 May 2019 17:12

It is hurting our airlines. What are our options for retaliation ? There isn't much traffic in Paki airspace, so retaliation in kind isn't sufficient.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 30 May 2019 21:20

abhijitm wrote:ACM was absent when Modi visited war memorial in the morning.

He was at the handing over ceremony of the Chairman COSC (Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee). Admiral Lanba handed over the baton to Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa.

Rakesh · Post by **Rakesh** » 30 May 2019 21:21

^^^^
https://twitter.com/AbhayPoonia8/status ... 2255758336 ---> Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa became the Chairman of Chiefs of Staffs committee.

LakshmanPST · Post by **LakshmanPST** » 31 May 2019 08:45

Rakesh wrote:
abhijitm wrote:ACM was absent when Modi visited war memorial in the morning.
He was at the handing over ceremony of the Chairman COSC (Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee). Admiral Lanba handed over the baton to Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa.

No, he was at the passing out parade of NDA...
That Chief of Staff Committee news was of 29th...
https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1134 ... 32961?s=19

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 31 May 2019 18:11

NOTAM issued in Multan Airport area due to "intense military flying" between 30 May and 30 June. Flights asked to come in with additional fuel load.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 31 May 2019 18:16

ArjunPandit wrote:
shyamd wrote:GoI knows J&K is littered with ISI spies. The network covers all bases, politicians etc.
More importantly, IA targeted a TSP Brigade HQ in response in subsequent action.
GoI response to Pulwama is ongoing. News will trickle out in weeks, months and years ahead
remember reading stories of paki spies franatically phoning their masters during kargil war after IAF jets were taking off from bases in J&K

This has been the norm for quite some time. GoI doing exactly the same with it's adversaries.

DrRatnadip · Post by **DrRatnadip** » 31 May 2019 20:38

https://m.timesofindia.com/india/iaf-re ... 600819.cms

So nothing happend at Tarbela????

Shivaji · Post by **Shivaji** » 31 May 2019 23:19

DrRatnadip wrote:https://m.timesofindia.com/india/iaf-re ... 600819.cms

So nothing happend at Tarbela????

This is how I read it:

We extracted our revenge at Tarbela, followed by CFVs and latest NOTAM by Pakistan.

With above report, we have indicated that we have had our revenge and done for this round. Now it is for Pakistan to decide if they wish to continue hostilities. No talks and no tolerance of attacks but no open hostility.....

vasu raya · Post by **vasu raya** » 01 Jun 2019 03:24

This biofuel, without going into details, now certified to be used by An-32's can be used to offset the fuel burn due to the 2 hour detour?

salaam · Post by **salaam** » 01 Jun 2019 07:29

DrRatnadip wrote:https://m.timesofindia.com/india/iaf-re ... 600819.cms

So nothing happend at Tarbela????

Well, rumors floating around. 4 FSolah destroyed and YesYesGhe HQ bombed.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 02 Jun 2019 02:57

IA reconnaissance units who operate across the border reporting more than dozen camps 1-2km from LoC have been re-occupied. Covert talks have failed. GoI need to decide if they will conduct preemptive strikes or just be reactive. .