Analysis of Combat Losses

Pakistan Air Force vs Indian Air Force

Destruction of maximum enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground is the endeavour of any air force for establishing a desired degree of air control; this provides the means to achieve the ultimate end – lethal force application against surface forces or country-wide infrastructure.  For an objective analysis, overall aircraft losses are best considered as an attrition rate or, loss per hundred sorties.  Anything beyond 2% is generally considered unacceptable in any conflict.  Comparison of attrition rates is a fair measure of the performance of two air forces (not to forget the army’s air defence elements) in the quest for air superiority.  Following is a summary analysis of PAF and IAF losses in the two major wars.

 

PAF	1965 WAR (1 Sep – 23 Sep)	IAF
COMBAT-RELATED AIRCRAFT LOSSES[a]
8	Air Combat	17
3	Enemy AAA	9
2	Own AAA	-
1	Destroyed on Ground	39
2	Accidents – Combat Related	1
16	OVERALL ATTRITION	66
2,279[b]	TOTAL COMBAT SORTIES FLOWN	3,937[c]
0.7%	ATTRITION RATE	1.67%
AIRCREW CASUALTIES
10	KIA	17[d]
3	POW	7
4	Ejected in Own Territory	6
1	Survived Crash	-
-	Escaped	1

 

 

PAF	1971 WAR (21 Nov – 17 Dec)	IAF
COMBAT-RELATED AIRCRAFT LOSSES[e]
10	Air Combat	18
7	Enemy AAA	36
1	Own AAA	-
7	Destroyed on Ground	3
2	Accidents – Combat Related	3
27	OVERALL ATTRITION	60
2,955[f]	TOTAL COMBAT SORTIES FLOWN	6,542[g]
0.91%	ATTRITION RATE	0.91%
AIRCREW CASUALTIES
15	KIA	36
4	POW	13
4	Ejected in Own Territory	8
-	Escaped	6

 

---

[a] Does not include Army, Navy or civilian aircraft losses.

[b] Source: Official PAF Records.

[c] Source: Indian Official History of Indo-Pak War – 1965; total sorties for Western Theatre only (Eastern Theatre negligible).

[d] Includes two aircrew who succumbed to injuries after landing.

[e] Does not include Army, Navy or civilian aircraft losses.

[f] Source: Official PAF Records for W Pak; aircrew estimates for E Pak.

[g] Source: Indian Official History of Indo-Pak War – 1971.