Pakistan lost AWACS aircraft in Indian strikes on Bholari airbase, admits ex-PAF Air Marshal

Pakistan’s retired Air Marshal Masood Akhtar has admitted that the Pakistan Air Force lost an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft during the Indian missile strikes carried out on the night of May 9–10.

They (Indian forces) fired four back-to-back Brahmos surface-to-surface missiles... surface-to-surface or air-to-surface, I am not sure. The (Pakistani) pilots rushed to secure their aircraft, but the missiles kept on coming, and unfortunately the fourth one hit the hangar at Bholari (airbase), where one of our AWACS was standing. It was damaged and casualties were also reported..." he said in an interview.

BREAKING- Ex PAF chief admits that Pak has lost a PAF Awacs in Bholari strikeBiggest prized asset of PAF taken down in Op Sindoorpic.twitter.com/hTgV19F6aaFrontalforce (@FrontalForce) May 15, 2025

The admittance comes as an embarassment for the Pakistani forces, who have been claiming "minimal damage" in the Indian strikes, and maintaining that all their military establishments and assets are completely safe.

Satellite images have already showed the damage inflicted on at least four of the critical airbases of Pakistan.

The Bholari airbase mentioned by Akhtar is situated near Karachi. Indian defence officials have stated that an aircraft hangar was targeted, and visuals confirmed that the structure had indeed sustained damage consistent with a direct hit.

Other than Bholari, Nur Khan, Sargodha and Rahim Yar Khan airbases also suffered heavy damaged in the Indian precision strikes.

Citing satellite imagery by Maxar Technologies, a recent New York Times report also corroborated Indian forces' claims to have hit several crucial military establishments of Pakistan on the intervening night of May 9 and 10.

“An examination of satellite imagery indicates that while the attacks were widespread, the damage was far more contained than claimed — and mostly inflicted by India on Pakistani facilities,” stated the report.

On the intervening night of May 6-7, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes on at last nine locations, demolishing several terror launch pads in Pakistan and PoK, terming it 'Operation Sindoor'.

This led to further escalation as Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks, which were neutralised by India's robust air defence system. India responded by hitting military installations and air defence systems located in prominent Pakistani cities like Lahore and Rawalpindi among others. The two countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart.