A senior French intelligence official informed an American channel that a Rafale fighter jet used by the Indian Air Force was shot down by Pakistan, marking what could be the first combat loss of the advanced French-manufactured aircraft.
Earlier today, Pakistan said it had downed five Indian fighter jets in response to Indian airstrikes, including three Rafales. India has yet to issue a formal statement addressing these claims.
The French official stated that authorities in Paris are currently assessing whether more than one Rafale may have been destroyed in the overnight confrontation.
Images circulating from the crash site in Indian-controlled Kashmir appear to show debris bearing French manufacturer markings. However, aviation analysts have noted that these fragments alone are not enough to conclusively identify the aircraft as a Rafale.
Dassault Aviation, the company behind the Rafale jet, has not responded to American channel’s inquiries regarding the reported incident.
The Rafale is a versatile, twin-engine fighter aircraft capable of carrying out both air and ground missions. It is equipped with a 30mm cannon, air-to-air missiles, laser-guided munitions, and long-range cruise missiles.
India’s Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale jets, which were procured from Dassault Aviation prior to this recent escalation.
