Pakistan once shot down its own F-16 jet: Expensive errors with fresh tensions in India surfaced | Indian News
As military tensions escalate in India and Pakistan, the little-known historical plot involving the critical PAF Gaffe is back on the scene in amid cross-border drone attacks and retaliatory operations – Pakistan is seen knocking down its own F-16 fighter plane. The disclosure comes after the Indian government said Pakistani military forces may have used a Türkiye-made “Asisguard Songar” drone in the May 8 attack on Indian cities. An initial forensic examination of captured drone debris verified its origin and tactical application for reconnaissance and precise strikes.
Against this backdrop, defense experts are dating back to a major event in 1987 that humiliated Pakistan on the international stage. During the Soviet-Afghan War, two Pakistani 14th Squadron F-16 aircraft were sent to four Soviet-backed Afghan Mig-23s on the Pakistan-Afghan border. But the mission turned into a tragedy when a PAF pilot accidentally opened fire at his own winger in the air.
The mission was directed by wing commander Amjad Javed, and Flight Lieutenant Shahid Sikandar flew the second F-16. When the jet climbed to attack the Mig-23, Javed was confused by Sikandar’s aircraft as an enemy target and fired the AIM-9P side ball missile. The missile hit Sikandar’s F-16, which was destroyed. Fortunately, the pilot ejected safely.
First, the Afghan Air Force won the honor of shooting, saying it destroyed Pakistani fighter jets. But a closer inspection of the wreckage tells a different story: Pakistan accidentally shot down one of its own aircraft.
To make the humiliation worse, the F-16 was one of the most complex multi-functional fighters of the time, with a recognition system for friends or footsteps. The investigation shows that the system has malfunctioned, but U.S. officials do not believe the explanations of Pakistani authorities.
As Indo-Pak tensions re-emerge, military observers noted that such incidents highlight the highest value of operational disciplines, good intelligence and trusted technology to prevent accidental escalation, especially between two nuclear weapons neighbors.
