Operation Sindoor wrecked Pakistani airbases, destroyed F-16s and AWACS; US stepped in for urgent repairs

Satellite images show damage inflicted to Pakistan's Nur Khan airbase by India's precision strikes in May this year.

India’s Operation Sindoor in May delivered a crippling blow to multiple Pakistani Air Force bases, forcing Islamabad into urgent repair efforts and exposing critical vulnerabilities, CNN-News18 reports, citing exclusive documents and high-level confirmations. The revelations once again expose Pakistan’s false claims minimising the damage inflicted by India’s precision strikes.

The report states that Indian strikes, conducted on May 9-10 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, destroyed aircraft, radar systems, command centres, and critical infrastructure across Pakistan and PoK.

The scale of the damage contradicts Pakistan’s repeated claims that none of its aircraft were hit or destroyed. CNN-News18 has learnt that the strikes targeted key military assets, including a Swedish-made Saab 2000 Erieye AWACS, a Lockheed C-130, and at least four F-16 fighter jets. In addition, several radar systems, air defence installations, and command-and-control units suffered extensive damage in precision missile strikes across multiple airbases.

At PAF Bholari Airbase, the strike destroyed an F-16 parked inside a hangar, killing five PAF personnel, including a Squadron Leader and the Chief Technician. The AWACS Erieye at the same base was severely damaged and later repaired with urgent support from US Air Force engineers.

CNN-News18 notes that further destruction occurred at other key facilities:

• PAF Shahbaz Air Base (Jacobabad): Two F-16s destroyed in hangars
• Nur Khan Airbase (Rawalpindi): One F-16 and a C-130 damaged in a precision strike
• Sarghodha, Rahim Yar Khan, and Mushaf Airbases: Runways, hangars, and communication systems severely damaged

To expedite repairs, the US deployed special teams from Al-Udeid Airbase (Doha), Al Dhafra (Abu Dhabi), and Bethesda (Maryland) following personal requests from Field Marshal Asim Munir during meetings with US President Donald Trump and retired CENTCOM Chief Michael Kurilla.

CNN-News18 tracked multiple US military flights, including C-17s and C-130s, landing at Nur Khan Airbase between June and September, confirming covert US support on Pakistani soil. Islamabad’s dependence on the US was further highlighted when it awarded General Kurilla its highest military honour in July 2025.

While most damaged infrastructure has been restored, Rahim Yar Khan’s airbase runway remains unusable due to flooding in South Punjab. Sources told CNN-News18 that the PAF is now fast-tracking upgrades, including a hybrid American-Chinese satellite-integrated radar system, in a bid to prevent future vulnerabilities.

CNN-News18’s reporting underscores the precision and strategic impact of Operation Sindoor, which not only crippled Pakistan’s air capabilities but also exposed Islamabad’s increasing reliance on foreign assistance, revealing its inability to independently secure key military assets even amid rising Chinese collaboration.

In first public remarks detailing Pakistani losses during the hostilities that followed Operation Sindoor, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh last week said that Pakistan lost as many as 12 to 13 aircraft, including fighter jets such as US-made F-16s and Chinese-origin JF-17s. He also dismissed Islamabad’s claims of downing Indian jets as “fanciful tales” aimed at delivering a message to its domestic audience.