Rafale downed for first time: Pakistan shoots down Indian fighter jet
Illustrative photo: Indian Rafale shot down by Pakistan (Getty Images)
Pakistan’s air defense likely shot down an Indian Rafale fighter jet. This is the first time such an aircraft has been lost in combat, CNN reports.
A senior French intelligence official, speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity, confirmed the downing of the Indian Rafale jet.
Earlier, Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation for Indian strikes, including, reportedly, three Rafales. Indian officials have not commented on those claims.
A French source said that the French authorities are investigating whether Pakistan could have shot down more than one Rafale.
CNN noted that photos of the wreckage in Kashmir show markings of the French manufacturer. However, experts say that these markings alone are not enough to conclusively identify the debris as belonging to a Rafale jet.
Rafale fighter jet
The Rafale is a 10-ton, twin-engine, multirole fighter jet equipped with a 30mm cannon, air-to-air missiles, laser-guided bombs, and cruise missiles.
Prior to the latest escalation with Pakistan, India had 36 Rafale jets in service, purchased from the French company Dassault Aviation.
As reported, India launched a missile strike on Pakistan overnight, describing it as an operation targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan's troops also responded to India with missile strikes.
More details about the conflict between the two countries can be found in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
