Indian Fighter Planes Violate Pakistani Airspace
By M. Hussain
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has violated Pakistani airspace and were intercepted by the Pakistan Air Force. The incidence took place on the 13th of December, at midnight. The military establishment in Pakistan is considering this to be a serious violation and PAF air bases are on full alert.
2 Indian Su-30 MkI ingressed in the Lahore sector, Pakistan's second most important city after Karachi. 3 Indian Mirage 2000H ingressed in the Kashmir sector. The Su-30 Mki "FLANKER" were intercepted by 3 F-16s and 3 F-7 combat aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force, while the Mirage 2000Hs were intercepted by 2 F-16s and 2 Mirages The intercepts were made within 4 miles of entering Pakistani territory, and the intruders were escorted out of Pakistani airspace. According to the PAF, the Indian aircraft were fully armed.
The Indians are in violation of agreements to not send combat aircraft within 10 km of their own boundaries. The simultaneous nature of the intrusion, in the middle of the night, being fully armed clearly indicates it was no mistake, and is replicative of Israeli tactics with Syria.
The Indian Air Force may use this opportunity to gather EW and radar signatures as well as measure the intercept response time and location. They may seek out information on new assets added by the Pakistani side, such as the TPS-77 radars. Both the Su-30 Mk I and the Mirage-2000Hs are equiped with EW equipment that could be used for such a purpose.
The Information Minister, Sherry Rehman, claimed that it was a mistake from the Indian side, which directly contradicts the PAF, and one may add, logic. In a joint press conference with the British PM, Zardari echoed this response and said Indian violation was a technical fault of IAF. While PAF denies that it was fault.
Grande Strategy (Edited)
UPDATE | Dec 14, 2008, AM: TROOPS ON THE MOVE?
A number of people travelling between Lahore and Rawalpindi over the past two days have reported that a heavy redeployment by the army was under way.
Long convoys of military trucks are heading towards Lahore from Jehlum, Jawad Khan, a motorist, told Dawn.
UPDATE | Dec 14, 2008, PM: Aircraft Descriptions:
Lahore: 2x Indian Air Force Su-30 (armed) intercepted and escorted out by 3x Pakistan Air Force F-16s and 3x F-7s
Muzaffarabad: 3x Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 (armed) intercepted and escorted out by 2x Pakistan Air Force F-16s and 2x F-7s.
UPDATE | Dec 14, 2008, PM: Emergency declared at Shorkot, Sarghoda airbases
SARGHODA: Emergency has been declared at Shorkot and Sarghoda airbases on Sunday after India violated Pakistan air spaces twice on Saturday by sending its fire jets.
According to sources, Indian Air Force sent its fighter jets into Pakistan air spaces on Saturday in Lahore and Kashmir areas which were forced to go back by Pakistani fighter jets.
UPDATE | Dec 14, 2008, PM: Army Confirms Artillery Movement
LAHORE: The Pakistan Army moved medium and heavy military artillery vehicles from the Lahore Cantonment area to the north of Punjab on Saturday, causing a scare in the minds of the general public about an eminent offensive with India.
However, the Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations, Major-General Athar Abbas, described the military movement as being part of routine winter military exercises.
A statement issued by the ISPR said the 10th Corps was returning to the Lahore Cantonment after completing its winter exercises while the 11th Corps was moving to Jhelum to replace it.
Earlier, The News reported that hundreds of medium and heavy artillery vehicles had moved out of the Lahore Cantonment area along the Motorway north of Punjab. It also said that there was movement of artillery from the Tilla Range in Jhelum
towards Lahore. (ANI)
2008 air alert
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, PAF was put on high alert. It deployed to all its wartime locations and started combat air patrols. The speed and intensity of the deployment and PAF's readiness took the Indian Army High Command by surprise and later reports suggest was the main factor in the Indian decision of not going for cross border raids inside Pakistan.[42][43] Pakistani press reported issuance of a PAF Standing Order to launch an immediate counterattack in case of an air attack from India, after Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee threatened Pakistani President.[42][43]
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