PAF claims of recovering intact missile seeker head hollow, one of the missile exploded: Sources

Indian Air Force (IAF) sources have refuted the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) claims of recovering missile seekers heads intact while asserting that one of the missiles had exploded.

Earlier in the day, PAF's DG ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor had tweeted a picture by claiming that four missile seeker heads were recovered intact from the wreckage of the IAF's MiG-21 which had fallen in Pakistan's territory.

"IAF claim of hitting F-16 by their Mig-21 before having been shot down by PAF gets exposed. All 4 missile seeker heads recovered intact from the wreckage and held. Pakistan and its professional Armed Forces staying humble by not drum beating. We have more truth on this to share," wrote Ghafoor in a tweet along with a picture of 4 missiles.

IAF sources, however, have asserted that the last missile on the right hand of the picture shared by Ghafoor had in fact exploded.

A picture of the Pakistani AIM 9L seeker head of the missile that shot an Indian UAV in 2002, further affirms the fact, according to sources.

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IAF sources also stated that whenever proximity fuse operates the seeker's head falls to the ground.

The Indian Air Force has already asserted that electronic signatures had shown that it shot down an F-16 plane of Pakistan Air Force on February 27, amid claims by an American magazine that no F-16 was missing in the Pakistan armoury.

According to an IAF statement, the fighter jet was shot down in the Nowshera sector in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

"During the aerial engagement that followed after Pakistani attack, one MiG-21 Bison of the Air Force shot down one F-16 in the Nowshera sector," the statement read.

IAF sources said radio communication of Pakistan Air Force, intercepted by it, confirmed that one of the F-16s that attacked India on February 27 did not return to its base.