Four-layered air defence outclasses Pak attacks; Air strike across the length and breadth of Pakistan: Officers

New Delhi: India’s top military officers on Monday said the country’s four-layered air defence system completely neutralised Pakistan attacks whereas the Indian Air Force’s ability to strike hard was demonstrated by hits across the length and breadth of Pakistan including key military establishments like Nur Khan and Rahimyar Khan air bases.

A top Indian Air Force officer also denied social media speculations of IAF striking at a Pakistan nuclear storage facility called Kirana hills.

When asked about reports on Kirana hills, Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations said, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation, we did not know about it. We have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there."

Elaborating on India’s four-layered air defence system, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations of the Indian Army said, "Targeting our airfields and logistics is way too tough.”

“I saw that Virat Kohli has just retired from test cricket; he is one of my favourites. In the 1970s, during the Ashes between Australia and England, two Australian bowlers destroyed the batting line up of England, and then Australia gave a proverb - ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don't get ya, Lillee must’. If you see the layers, you'll understand what I am trying to say. Even if you crossed all the layers, one of the layers of this grid system will hit you,” he said.

The four layers Lt Gen Ghai alluded to comprises counter-drone and MANPADS (man portable air defence system); point air defence and short-range surface to air missiles; medium range surface-to-air missiles and long-range surface to air missiles.

Along with powerful radars, they provide an aerial shield that extends nearly 200 km from the international border.

Because of such a strong air defence, Pakistan’s strikes at Indian air fields and logistics installation on May 9-10 failed. Also Pakistan’s attack and strike drones could not penetrate the grid and Indian airfields remained protected as compared to the Pakistan Air Force’s ones, he said.

Air Marshal Bharti cited evidence of how Indian hits created a crater on the runway of Rahimyar Khan air base, making it unusable. The IAF strikes include hitting a military establishment near Karachi.

He also showed evidence of how Chinese-origin PL-15 air-to-air missiles missed targets and were countered effectively. Long-range rockets, loiter munitions, and Turkish-origin Yiha UAVs were neutralized. Visual evidence of quad-copters being shot down was also presented.

"All our military bases, all our systems continue to remain fully operational and ready to undertake any future missions should the need arise,” Air Marshal Bharti said.