The last word on Indias MiG21 shooting down a Pakistani F16?

March 12, 2019 18:55

The Balakot airstrike and the Pakistani response to it, in which they shot down an Indian MiG21 Bison piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, and who in turn show down a Pakistani F16, has led to reams written on it plus hours of TV news anchors exercising their vocal chords.

Weighing in on the discussion, Tyler Rogoway, who is editor of Time In's The War Zone, writes, 'I have to make clear that we have zero evidence that a Pakistani F-16 was lost in combat. None. That does not mean it didn't happen, it just means that at this time we have no reason to believe it beyond taking India's word for it.'

So, 'is it possible that a MiG-21 Bison shot down a Pakistani F-16?' he asks, and says, 'Of course it is'.

But, 'does this mean the Bison is superior or equal to the F-16? Or does this put into question the F-16's capabilities? Absolutely not.'

'In fact, India's claim that the Bison got off an R-73 shot just before being shot down fits exactly with what we know about the Bison's sneaky tactics dating back to Cope India 2004,' he writes, here.

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