Indo-Pak War: What are AWACS aircraft? How many of these ‘eyes in the sky’ are left with Pakistan?
India news: As part of its response, India successfully shot down a Pakistani Air Force AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control Systems) aircraft, which was operating inside Punjab province in Pakistan.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply after Pakistan launched a drone and missile attack targeting several Indian cities. Indian defence systems swiftly responded, intercepting the attack.
After Pakistan's failed strikes on India since the night of May 8 a day after India's Operation Sindoor to avenge Pahalgam terror attacks, there have been unverified reports that that India shot down a Pakistani Air Force AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control Systems) aircraft, which was operating inside Punjab province in Pakistan.
This has created a lot of curiosity about AWACS. So what are AWACS?
What exactly are AWACS aircraft?
AWACS are specialised planes fitted with a large rotating radar dome on top. These aircraft serve as early warning systems in the sky, detecting threats from much farther away than ground-based radars.
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Due to the Earth’s curvature, land-based systems can only see so far. AWACS bypass this by staying airborne, allowing them to track aircraft, missiles, and other threats across wide areas. They act as a force multiplier, offering command and control over air operations.
How many AWACS does Pakistan have?
Pakistan currently operates nine AWACS aircraft in total. In 2006, it bought four Saab-2000 Erieye planes from Sweden. In 2008, it followed up with an order for four ZDK-03 AWACS from China, although these were retired in 2024.
Watch: Indo-Pak war Breaking | J&K: Heavy shelling by Pak in Uri sector; one injured in cross-border firing
Pakistan added three more Erieye aircraft, one batch in 2017, and another in 2020. With the Chinese ZDK-03s no longer in service, if India shot down a Pakistani AWACS, it is to be a Saab-2000 Erieye.
