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Did India down Pakistan's AWACS? Why losing this surveillance jet could be a big blow to enemy

Amid an escalating standoff, India reportedly shot down Pakistan's AWACS, the Airborne Warning and Control System. These surveillance jets are critical to air combat, and losing one of them delivers a big blow to the neighbour read more The Pakistan Air Force operates a fleet of nine Saab 2000 Erieye Airborne Early. Some reports in the media say one such aircraft has been shot down. Image courtesy: Saab The India-Pakistan standoff has escalated. On Thursday night, the Indian forces began a counteroffensive after drones and missiles from across the border attempted to hit the Indian military installations along the western and northern borders. There were blackouts in 15 cities amid the barrage of projectiles, targeted at Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan. India once again thwarted the attack. It destroyed drones and missiles. But that is not all. The Indian forces reportedly shot down Islamabad's Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. This could deliver a blow to Pakistan's air surveillance and battlefield coordination capabilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The AWACS was shot down inside Pakistan's Punjab province, according to a report by India Today. However, there has been no official confirmation about this. What are AWACS? AWACS, the Airborne Warning and Control System, is a mobile, long-range radar surveillance and control centre, which is critical for air defence. The radar system is usually mounted on a large aircraft platform and is used to detect, track and monitor aerial and surface contacts over vast distances. It's like a flying command station that directs fighter jets and air defence systems, and also conducts surveillance during combat. The AWACS doubles up as an early warning system that coordinates air operations. It sends real-time intelligence to command centres and interceptors on land, at sea and in air. This airborne system is crucial to modern warfare, as it performs multiple roles and is dubbed the military's 'eyes in the skies'. The system was originally developed by the US Air Force and mounted on a modified Boeing 707 aircraft, referred to as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. What are the key functions of AWACS? AWACS monitor a nation's airspace in real-time. The aircraft provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, and command and control of an area of responsibility. It helps in early detection, tracking hostile drones, missiles and aircraft before they enter the radar range of ground stations. The AWACS also work as an airborne control tower for friendly aircraft and guides them toward or away from targets or threats. It helps in electronic surveillance by intercepting the radio frequencies of the enemy, jamming signals, and detecting communication patterns on the battlefield. AWACS are essential to aerial combat in modern warfare. Image courtesy Saab How do AWACS operate? According to the US Air Force, the original E3 Sentry is a modified commercial airframe with a rotating radar dome fitted above the fuselage of the two struts. This dome – called the 'radome' or 'rotodome' – helps in long-range detection of more than 375.5 kilometres. The radar, combined with an identification friend or foe, or IFF, subsystem, can detect, identify and track enemy and friendly low-flying aircraft by eliminating ground clutter returns that confuse other radar systems. Today, other countries develop AWACS inspired by this model. The aircraft is equipped with multiple workstations, where specialists track threats, assign aircraft to intercept, and coordinate missions in real time, according to a report by Moneycontrol. The E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system, or AWACS. Image courtesy: US Air Force AWACS have secure satellite communication and data links for seamless coordination with fighter jets, ground-based radars, surface-to-surface missiles and even naval ships. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Several advanced AWACS are fitted with self-protection jammers and countermeasures. They have radar warning receivers, flare dispensers and decoys to dodge the threat of missiles, the report says. What AWACS does Pakistan have? Pakistan reportedly has nine AWACS aircraft. It purchased four Saab 2000 Erieye planes from Sweden in 2006. Between 2017 and 2002, it added more Erieye planes to its arsenal. The last of the aircraft was delivered to the country on July 2, 2024. From China, which supplies it with major military equipment, it bought four ZDK-03 AWACS in 2008, which were retired last year. Saab 2000 Erieye boasts of an effective surveillance area of 500,000 sq km horizontally and over 60,000 ft vertically. Its radar detects and tracks objects quickly with high precision and a high update rate. S-band technology ensures top performance in all weather conditions, aerospace company Saab says on its website. With only the Erieye operational, this is the AWACS India likely shot down. Pakistan purchased Saab 2000 Erieye planes from Sweden in 2006. Image courtesy: Saab What does the loss of AWACS mean for Pakistan? The shooting down of AWACS could be another setback for Pakistan as tensions escalate with India. It would impair the Pakistan Air Force's air surveillance, as this system is critical to identifying incoming threats. The India-Pakistan standoff is being fought in the skies, and taking down AWACS gives New Delhi yet another upper hand. It reflects India's aggression – it is not only intercepting threats and foiling attacks, but also disabling enemy assets. With inputs from agencies