India fired about 15 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles along with French SCALP missiles at Pakistani air bases on the night of May 9-10, damaging some of them.
Compared to the SCALP, the heavier BrahMos is faster and has a longer range at supersonic speeds, making it difficult to counter. The BrahMos, launched by Su-30MKI fighters, is a domestically designed cruise missile.
India’s precision strikes reportedly damaged 11 of Pakistan’s 13 major air bases, disrupting its air defense systems and forcing the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to move aircraft to bases deep inland.
The Indian operation targeted vital installations, including radar installations, UAV hangars and surveillance systems.
The Indian counterattack came after Pakistan attempted a multi-pronged drone and missile attack on Indian military installations in the northern and western sectors on the night of 7–8 May.
Cities including Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bhuj were among the targets. However, India’s air defences neutralized all incoming threats.
India’s response was carried out in phases. On the morning of 8 May, Indian forces first targeted Pakistani air defence radars, including one located in Lahore. An intensive air campaign followed on 9–10 May, with aircraft launching precision strikes using supersonic BrahMos missiles.
India deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to engage Pakistan’s air defense systems. Once activated, these systems were hit by Israeli-made Harop kamikaze drones, paving the way for cruise missile attacks.
One of the notable strikes was on a hangar in Sindh, where Pakistan reportedly lost key equipment, including UAVs and a surveillance aircraft. On May 11, India inaugurated a new BrahMos missile production facility in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, with the goal of producing 80-100 of these supersonic cruise missiles annually.
