Fabian Hoffmann
In the early hours of May 7, India launched a series of missile and air strikes — designated Operation Sindoor — against nine sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The operation was presented as retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians, most of them Indian tourists. According to Indian officials, the strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
While several targets inside Pakistan were reportedly hit, greater attention has focused on the apparent success of Pakistan’s Air Force in shooting down multiple Indian aircraft — including a Dassault Rafale F3R multirole fighter aircraft, the most advanced platforms in India’s inventory, introduced only in July 2020. This post summarizes the available information, and outlines some initial implications.
Weapon systems and casualties
According to Indian sources, Indian forces employed SCALP-EG land-attack cruise missiles and AASM HAMMER guided bombs during the strike. India likely operates the export variant of the SCALP-EG, which has a reduced range of approximately 250 kilometers. The HAMMER guided bombs have a maximum range of up to 70 kilometers, assuming release at optimal altitude and speed (i.e. high altitude/high velocity).
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