International military aviation analyst Tom Cooper has supported Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh’s recent claims that India shot down five Pakistani Air Force jets during Operation Sindoor. Despite Pakistan’s continued denials, Cooper, a respected aerial warfare expert based in Austria, characterized Singh’s assertion as a “confirmation of something that was known since May.”
Earlier this week, Singh stated that India’s S-400 missile systems had targeted at least five Pakistani jets and a significant airborne early warning aircraft. While Pakistan rejected these claims, Cooper remarked in an interview that Indian military capabilities had been dominant during the four-day surge in tensions between the two nations.
“We have seen evidence of not only five but even more Pakistani aircraft being shot down. There is also proof of additional aircraft destroyed on the ground. However, there was no official acknowledgment from the Indian Air Force or the Indian government. Thus, this serves as a nice confirmation of an assessment made back in May,” Cooper explained during his conversation with ANI.
Cooper identified the downed Pakistani early warning aircraft as a Saab 2000 and backed Singh’s statement that the successful engagement from a distance of 300 km constituted a world record. “This marks the longest range confirmed shoot-down by a surface-to-air missile, and it is a historic achievement,” he noted, praising the remarkable success of the Indian Air Force. He highlighted that the only comparable incident occurred during the Russia-Ukraine conflict when a weapon system was shot down from 200 km away.
Cooper pointed out the strategic significance of the Indian Air Force’s S-400 deployment near the Pakistan border. He observed that the missiles were fired from within range of Pakistani artillery, which posed risks. If the presence of the firing unit had been detected quickly by Pakistan, it could have resulted in retaliatory strikes destroying the Indian position.
Notably, Cooper is not the only expert to affirm Singh’s evaluation. Military strategist John Spencer previously stated that Operation Sindoor represented a decisive victory for India.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/how-many-pakistani-jets-india-shot-down-in-op-sindoor-iaf-confirmed-5-experts-say-evidence-of-more-13924566.html
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Publish Date: 2025-08-14 08:07:00
