A newly published report, corroborated by satellite imagery, defense surveillance data, and independent budget analysis, reveals that Subcontinental Combat, conducted in April–May 2025, has caused extensive military losses to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), totaling more than $3.35 billion.
Massive Losses to Pakistan Air Force During Operation Sindoor
According to the report, India succeeded in shooting down at least eight F-16 fighter jets and four JF-17 jets belonging to Pakistan. This operation inflicted extensive damage on Pakistan’s air power, with total losses valued at over 3.35 billion dollars.
The report is based on a mix of sources, including satellite images, surveillance data, and expert analysis. It confirms that the destruction included both aerial and ground military assets, as well as damage to important infrastructure. These facts were independently verified by checking multiple open sources, commercial satellite photos, and confidential defense budget documents.
The report highlights that in aerial combat, four F-16 Block 52D jets were destroyed, each worth about 87.38 million dollars. This alone accounted for nearly 350 million dollars in losses. Besides fighter jets, a Saab 2000 Erieye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) plane, valued at 93 million dollars, was also destroyed.
Other aerial assets lost included an IL-78 refueling tanker, worth 35 million dollars, and several missiles such as the CM-400AKG and Shaheen-class missiles, together worth over 11 million dollars. Additionally, six Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (drones) with a total value of 36 million dollars were lost.
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All these aerial losses added up to approximately 525 million dollars in damage. These losses represent a serious hit to the Pakistan Air Force’s combat capabilities in the sky.
Significant Ground Damage in Subcontinental Combat
On the ground, during Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Air Force faced further damage from precise strikes carried out by Indian forces. Four more F-16 jets that were parked on the ground were destroyed, adding another 350 million dollars to the total loss. A C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, valued at 40 million dollars, was also lost as part of Operation Sindoor.
The report also details the destruction of critical defense infrastructure caused by Operation Sindoor. A surface-to-air missile battery, the HQ-9, worth 200 million dollars, was taken out, severely impacting air defense systems. Two mobile command centers, valued at 5 million dollars each, were destroyed as well, totaling 10 million dollars in losses.
The ground losses, including aircraft and infrastructure from Operation Sindoor, are estimated at nearly 600 million dollars. When combined with aerial losses, the total value of all destroyed military assets comes to more than 1.12 billion dollars.
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The damage to Pakistan’s airbases was substantial. At PAF Base Nur Khan, major facilities such as hangars, AEW&C shelters, and control centers suffered heavy destruction. Repairing this damage is estimated to cost around 125 million dollars. Meanwhile, at PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, the destruction of F-16 bays, radar installations, and command centers due to Operation Sindoor is expected to require about 100 million dollars in repairs.
These repair costs further highlight the severe impact of Operation Sindoor on Pakistan’s military infrastructure.
High Operational Costs and Strategic Impact
Apart from the direct destruction of equipment and infrastructure, the Pakistan Air Force also faced very high operational expenses during the conflict. The report estimates that combat air patrols and strike missions over the 29-day period cost around 25 million dollars each day. This amounts to a total of 725 million dollars spent on maintaining active air operations.
Drone and missile operations added another 450 million dollars to Pakistan’s defense spending during this period. These operations included the use of Ra’ad missiles, Bayraktar drones, and Hatf munitions.
Border mobilization efforts and the deployment of surface-to-air missile systems cost an estimated 15 million dollars daily, totaling 435 million dollars over the same 29 days.
Adding up these costs gives a total operational expenditure of about 1.61 billion dollars. When combined with the direct losses of assets and infrastructure, the total cost of the damage and operations during Operation Sindoor exceeds 3.35 billion dollars.
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The report points out that these losses have dealt a serious blow to Pakistan’s aerial warfare capabilities, logistics, and radar systems. While the Pakistani military has not officially confirmed the full extent of the damage, the detailed financial assessments and cross-verified data are attracting attention among experts and commentators in strategic affairs.
This report provides a clear picture of the heavy toll that Operation Sindoor inflicted on the Pakistan Air Force in early 2025. The large-scale destruction of fighter jets, drones, missiles, and key infrastructure, along with the massive operational expenses, underline the scale and intensity of the conflict during this period.