Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman drinking tea in enemy country whose F-16 he had shot down.
Here’s what happened on the day when PAF jets were chased out by IAF planes – Minute by minute details
9:52 AM – Ten F-16 jets take off from three Airbases in Pakistan, which is detected by Indian NETRA and Northern Air Command. The F-16 jets come in three groups and merge in attack formation near Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
9:54 AM – In order to intercept the 10 F-16 jets from Pakistan, India scrambles two MiG-21 Bisons jets and four Sukhoi MKi jets.
9: 58 AM – First alert is sounded by India to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets, warning them that they are about to encroach Indian airspace and asks them to “evade”.
9: 59 AM – Second alert is sounded by India to PAF with IFAC protocols. Pakistan Air Force does not respond.
10:00 AM – Pakistan’s 10 F-16 jets violate Indian airspace in swarm merge attack formation (which is tactical in nature).
10:01 AM – A heavy surface-to-air ground artillery and a valiant fight from India’s Sukhoi and MiG fighter jets forces nine F-16 jets to deviate path. Within 1 kilometre of airspace, the nine PAF jets return to PoK.
10:02 AM - One Pakistani F-16 jet enters deep inside the Indian territory and covers nearly 3 kms to possibly destroy an oil storage at an Army Brigade HQ.
10:03 AM – One MiG 21 Bison (flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhaman) and one IAF Sukoi continue to engage the F16 in a dogfight manoeuvre called “Defensive split”. While the MiG 21 was in the front, the F-16 was in the middle and was followed by the Sukhoi. Firing from Sukoi prompted the F-16 to flee the scene using a dog fight manoeuvre caller ‘wingover’.
10:04 AM – The Sukhoi jet stays back and hovers around the oil storage at the Army Brigade HQ to protect it. Meanwhile, the MiG-21 Bison, being flown by Wg Cdr Abhinandan, chases F-16 jet out of Indian territory. While chasing the PAF jet, Abhinandan engages the F-16 in a lock-in position for his onboard R-73 air to air missile to be deployed.
It is to be noted here that Abhinandan could have returned to base at this point. However, by doing so, the missile lock-in would have disengaged (due to out of radar coverage) and he would not have been able to shoot the F-16 down. Hence, the brave pilot decided to chase it down to PoK and shoot it.
10:08 AM – IAF pilot Abhinandan engages his R73 missile that hits the F-16 and brings it down.
10:08 AM – After shooting down the PAF jet, the Wing Commander performs a highly dangerous manoeuvre called “High-g barrel roll”. The IAF pilot had to do this as he had been in the vicinity of PoK surface to air artillery and surface-to-air missile (SAM). The move requires him to vertically climb the jet at high speed and reverse its direction towards India. While he was performing the move, either a SAM or air artillery hit his plane, bringing it down.
Downed Pakistan Air Force Pilot Shahzad-ud-din Squadron No 19 -Sherdils - who was denied a state funeral by the country he served
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