New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday reiterated having shot down Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) F-16 fighter aircraft on February 27 in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The IAF said that radio transmission intercepts and electronic signatures have exposed lies being told by Pakistan.

Reassertion of shooting down the Pak F-16 fighter jet by the IAF follows a report in a section of the US media that no (no) F-16 fighter aircraft of PAF was missing. Refuting media reports in US, the IAF said that Pak F-16 fighter went missing after it was shot down by IAF’s MiG 21 Bison fighter.

“The IAF have confirmed sighting ejections at 2 different places on Feb 27. The 2 sighting were at places separated by atleast 8-10kms. One was an IAF’s MiG21 Bison and the other a PAF jet. Electronic signatures gathered by us indicate that the PAF aircraft was a F-16,” IAF Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations and Space) Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor said.

On February 26, India carried out attack on the terrorist camp at Balakot. In retaliation, the PAF’s F-16s, JF 17s and Mirage III/V jets sneaked into Indian airspace which prompted the IAF to intercept them.

IAF deployed Su30-MKI, Mirage-2000 and MiG 21 Bison guided by ground radars and AWACS. “All attempts of PAF to attack any targets were thwarted by the IAF. During the aerial engagement that followed, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down one F-16 in Nowshera sector,” said AVM Kapoor.

Debris of Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) which is exclusively fitted on F-16 fighter jets fell on the Indian side and were cited as evidence by the IAF after the shooting down of F-16.