Abhinandan was flying a MiG-21 Bison fighter jet aircraft and engaged with Pakistan's air force jet F-21 which had entered the Indian air space to target military installations. Entering into a dogfight with the Pak air force, Abhinandan shot down their F-16 using a short-range R-73 missile which he fired from his MiG-21.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who was in Pakistan's custody returned to India on Friday (March 1) is being lauded by the entire nation for his valour, courage for shooting down Pakistan's F-16 while Pakistan was attempting to target Indian military installations on February 27.
Pakistan air strikes had come a day after India targeted the biggest JeM terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan. India's action to attack JeM terror camp was in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack where 40 Indian CRPF Personnel were martyred on February 14.
Abhinandan was flying a MiG-21 Bison fighter jet aircraft and engaged with Pakistan's air force jet F-21 which had entered the Indian air space to target military installations. Entering into a dogfight with the Pak air force, Abhinandan shot down their F-16 using a short-range R-73 missile which he fired from his MiG-21. According to reports, 'R-73 selected' was Abhinandan's last radio transmission.
He was successful in shooting down Pak's F-16, however, in the dogfight, his jet too got damaged forcing him to eject from the aircraft. It was unfortunate that his parachute landed on the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) following which he was captured by the Pakistani Army.
It was after immense pressure from India on Pakistan by building up international pressure on Islamabad after New Delhi reached to the world community and through Geneva convention rules, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced the release of Abhinandan Varthaman on February 28 (Thursday).
1. 'R-73 selected' was Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's last radio transmission
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According to reports, Wing Commander Abhinandan last radio transmission was 'R-73 selected' from his MiG-21 Bison. The missile R-73 air-to-air missile was then fired from his MiG-21 and shot down a Pakistani-16, which Islamabad falsely claim that they did not use its F-16 in the combat. (File Photo)
2. What is R-73 missile?
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R-73 missile is a short-range air-to-air missile which can be used during a combat day or night and can be launched from any direction. R-73 missile can target flying objects flying at speed up to 2,500 km per hour and altitudes of 0.02 to 20 km. It can reach a maximum of 30 km of operational range and can target off-boresight angles of +45 degree at line-of-sight rates of up to 60 degrees. (File Photo)
3. MiG-21 vs F-16
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India used a relatively old fighter jet to shot-down Pakistan's F-16 which is one of the more powerful fighter jets around. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is known for its multirole combat capabilities.
The MiG-21 Bison is an all-weather air defense aircraft which can fly up to a maximum speed of 2,230 kilometers per hour. It can carry one 23mm twin-barrel cannon with four R-60 close combat missiles. India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) started producing the first ever MiG-21 back in 1967 after soviet union issued the license to the firm.
On the other side, the single-engine F-16 Falcon can reach up to a maximum speed of 2120 kmph, has a wingspan of 9.96 metre and can carry 9-g maneuvers. F 16 jet can carry a maximum of 19200 kg weight. Its engine is either a General Electric F110-GE-129, a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 or a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220, depending on the variant. The fleet of F-16s operated by the Pakistan Air Force are all powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. (Representative Photo)
4. US asks Pakistan if they misused F-16 against India
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After Indian shot down Pak's F-16, US has sought information from Pakistan on the potential misuse of the fighter jet against India in violation of the end-user agreement. Though Pakistan has remained in denial mode that it did not use F-16 but the Indian Air Force displayed the recovered parts of AIM-120C advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) which is only carried by F-16s from J&K's Rajouri area. (File Photo)
