Commemorating Operations Swift Retort

27 February 2019, would always be remembered as one of the memorable and historic days in the annals of history of Pakistan. It was on this day when Pakistan Air Force once again exhibited exemplary professionalism and resolute resolve to successfully defend the aerial frontiers of our motherland against the Indian aggression.

This was the day when Indian mis-adventurism was defeated and irrationality was laid to rest by a team of dedicated and committed professionals of PAF.

This day has been recorded in the history books as the symbol of determination and fortitude by a few to offset quantitative disadvantage. PAF successfully lived up to its reputation of defeating aggression while fighting out numbered.

This day also reminds the global community of practical manifestation of Pakistan being the peace-loving nation by returning the captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan.

An unbiased and prudent incision of the events of 26 and 27 February 2019 reveals some interesting facts.

On 26 February 2019, past midnight hours, Indian Air Force undertook failed airstrikes inside Pakistan mainly to: (i) look for space for Low Intensity Conflict (LIC); (ii) gain political mileage; (iii) appease her foreign apologists; (iv) gain ascendancy in information warfare domain; (v) establish casus balli for acquiring more funds; (vi) gauge her so-called geo-economic relevance; (vii) and, set a new normal.

Nevertheless, retrospective analysis of the perceived Indian objectives reveals that other than gaining political mileage that helped the BJP to win 2019 elections and acquiring additional funds to buy military hardware, India had to face miserable failure in achieving rest of the objectives.

Pakistan decided to respond to the naked Indian aggression by invoking article-51 of the UN Charter and launched successful air strikes against the military targets inside Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) in the broad day light of 27 February 2019.

Pakistan responded with a “Quid-Pro-Quo Plus” strategy, that successfully re-established deterrence and restored strategic stability in the region.

Pakistan exhibited remarkable capability to spare intended military targets at the last moments for which corresponding videos of dispensed munitions were also publicly released. Interestingly, Pakistan used indigenously developed long range stand-off weapons to simultaneously engage multiple targets without violating the LoC.

Resultantly, Pakistan shot down two IAF’s frontline fighter aircraft while Indian claims of shooting down PAF’s F-16 aircraft were refuted by presenting wreckage of the destroyed Indian aircraft that showed all its missiles intact.

Another significant achievement by the PAF was inducing fog of war through its force-multipliers that resulted in IAF shooting down its own helicopter. PAF’s leadership exhibited remarkable acumen by exercising strategic restraint while the possibilities to inflict more damage to IAF existed in the air battle.

Overall, PAF planned and conducted entire range of air operations with exemplary professionalism by seamlessly fusing all the combat elements and force multipliers and not letting the fog of war to set-in.

27 February 2019, on one hand remains the day of success and jubilation for the people of Pakistan while on the other hand, it would continue to haunt Indians of failures and miseries on number of counts.

First of all, Indian claims of killing 300 terrorists and destroying an alleged terrorist camp were proved wrong.

Secondly, IAF lost its two front line aircraft while it could not prove its claim of shooting down an F-16 of PAF.

Thirdly, Indian attempt to fight a low intensity conflict under the nuclear overhang was thwarted.

Fourthly, Pakistan through its “Quid-Pro-Quo Plus” strategy, re-established deterrence and restored strategic stability in the region.

Fifth, unlike India, Pakistan exhibited its prowess in indigenisation and self-reliance in the military hardware domain.

Sixth, IAF badly exposed itself in meaningful development and employment of force multipliers (EW, AWACS, AAR) and command and control centres with sensor fusion.

Seventh, India could not justify its envisaged role as the net security provider and counter weight to China.

Last but not the least, visuals of the Indian pilot being captured by the Pakistani authorities and later on live telecast of being handed over to the Indian authorities had brought huge humiliation to the Indian government at global level.

The real strength of PAF lies in the quadruple framework: (i) visionary leadership; (ii) indignation of military hardware; (iii) training of the human resource and; (iv) continued focus on quality instead of quantity.

In the same context, PAF is making quantum strides in developing and acquiring state of the art capabilities for its arsenal.

Pakistan is focusing to indigenously develop next generation multirole fighter aircraft, long range stand-off weapons, electronic warfare capabilities, UAVs and UCAVs, loitering and lethal autonomous weapons, multidomain and multirange surveillance means, air and ground based command and control centers, common operating picture through sensor fusion besides acquiring and coproducing fifth generation omni role fighter aircraft with assured first shot capabilities.

Indian media and its strategic community in particular is making a lot of hue and cry that PAF has surpassed IAF by a huge margin and through its futuristic outlook is likely to maintain this qualitative edge at least for the next one decade.

They are of the opinion that with the existing capabilities, IAF is likely to face serious challenges to match PAF let alone two front war mantra involving China.

Indignation has not only afforded much needed self-reliance to PAF but also opened avenues for dearly required revenue generation.

National Aerospace Science and Technology Parks (NASTP) have been established all across Pakistan to act as incubation centers and stepping stone for the research and development savvy enthusiasts.

JF-17 thunder has successfully showcased its multirole capabilities during various international exercises and air shows and attracted a number of middle-income countries that are looking for cost benefit solutions.

To conclude, PAF is a futuristic and dynamic organization that is well poised to defend areal frontiers of Pakistan through a rich combination of indigenization, co-productions and acquisitions.