Under Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsous, Pakistan successfully struck and destroyed India’s advanced S-400 air defense system stationed at Adampur in Punjab’s Jalandhar district.
Security officials revealed that the Pakistan Air Force utilized hypersonic missile technology for the strike, reportedly launched from a JF-17 Thunder jet. The destroyed system, the Russian-made S-400 valued at $1.5 billion, was one of India’s most critical air defense assets.
What is the S-400 Air Defense System?
India entered a $5.43 billion agreement with Russia in 2018 to purchase five S-400 Triumf systems.
The S-400 is a mobile, long-range air defense system capable of intercepting aircraft, drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles at distances of up to 400 kilometers, and tracking threats as far as 600 kilometers.
It includes missile launchers, a high-performance phased-array radar capable of tracking over 100 targets, and a command center.
The system can simultaneously target up to 36 threats using 72 missiles, including high-speed aerial threats and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
India has already deployed three squadrons: one in Pathankot (Punjab) in 2021, another in Sikkim in 2022, and the third in the Rajasthan-Gujarat region in 2023. The final two squadrons are expected by 2026.
The S-400 has boosted India’s layered air defense and was recently used to intercept Pakistani missile strikes effectively.
Renowned as one of the most advanced systems globally, NATO regards the S-400 as a major strategic threat due to its extended range and ability to engage multiple targets.
Despite potential U.S. sanctions under CAATSA, India proceeded with the purchase to counter threats from Pakistan and China and enhance strategic deterrence.
The mobile system can move at 60 km/h and be operational within minutes, allowing fast and adaptable air defense response.
The acquisition also included simulators and training to prepare Indian forces for its effective deployment. Pakistan’s retaliatory strike with missiles under Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsous follows a series of Indian offensives targeting Pakistani sites.
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