There are so many things wrong with the idea of Abhi shooting down the F-16. It just doesn't make any logical sense, nor is there any proof of it.
Why did he choose to fire on the F-16s which were farther away than the JF-17s.
Why did he fire without being cleared to fire by the ground controller.
Why did he cross the border.
Why didn't he turn back when he was asked to turn back, like his wingman ( and the other 4 Migs).
Why didn't he react to being targeted by the AIM 120 ie no evasive maneuvers.
Why did an IAF pilot put himself and his aircraft in such a poor situation.
Answers are clear.
Abhi was jammed during his interception flight, he didn't hear the commands to turn around when he was warned of approaching missile. I don't know if he didn't receive the radar warning for the missile or if he was preoccupied and didn't see the warning, one thing for sure is he didn't react to the missile. He was not prepared for aerial fight, he was never cleared for it. It would be unprofessional of him to fire with out clearance. He was trained in the arts of BVR, he wouldn't let him self get into a situation where he could be easily shot down (ie across LOC). For all we know, he probably thought he was still within Indian controlled Kashmir, evident by most of his actions, lack of evasive maneuvers, and him asking the locals if it was India. Even if Abhi defied clearance, crossed LOC and shot the F-16 (instead of the much closer planes), we would have the wreckage of the F-16. You can't hide that stuff in Pakistan.
F-16s were not even close to the border, they were much farther back thanks to the massive range of the AIM 120s. They were not even involved in the primary strike like ISPR told us. They never crossed the border. Their job was fighter sweep, they were not interceptors. They were there for one reason only, to shoot down aircraft that would threaten the strike package. Once Abhi was jammed and crossed the border he was green lighted to be shot down. Even if somehow he launched a missile at the F-16, the F-16s were so far away that they would easily be able to kinetically defeat the incoming missile. But guess what, his jet was found with all four missiles on the rails.
But you tell me does it even sound sane for Abhi to violate and cross the border, on his own, not turn back like advised to everybody including his wingman, shoot at an F-16 deep into Pak airspace and that too without clearance. And you want to give him the Vir Chakra ?! without proof of a shot F-16.
Why didn't he turn back? because his communications were Jammed by PAF.
Indian claims:
- ISPR said 3 pilots. Well first of all he said 2, which he also later amended to 1. With a very good reason that he had received 2 reports for the same incident.
- F-16 track lost on radar. Thats nothing special in mountain region with aircraft performing aggressive maneuvers. I bet you, that wasn't the only F-16 that the Indian Radar lost track of that day.
Have Indians given medals for false claims before?, answer is yes, why should we believe them to be honest this time.
I am glad we got this comedy on camera for our later generations to see
that how a man walks different after a date with an Aim 120 C.