I am indeed comparing the systems against each other -
That is a mistake on your part than, modern warfare is not fought like this.
Pakistan having very small depth, very few AF bases, very low SAM systems is very likely to be bombarded by CM's in the first day of hostilities. SAM coverage is of prime importance here.
Rest be assured that Pakistan's SAM coverage is quite potent, just because it is not advertised does not mean it is not there. If you have been a regular reader of this forum, you must have read some of the revelations made by some of the members. Small depth makes it easier for PAF to create heavy kill boxes to sandwich incoming enemy bogies, thus its a two way streak for Pakistan. SAM's are mobile units and IAF would first need to locate them to bombard them with CM's. Most likely IAF is not to bombard potential SAM sites with CM's as you are advocating because that would be a pure waste of resource, most likely IAF will try to conduct SEAD missions to try to locate and eliminate SAM sites.
Pakistani bases are likely to be degraded as soon as war starts. On top of that if you have a foe that wields far bigger numbers is more than likely to overwhelm your defences within a short span of time.
Again a mistake on your part. PAF has built hardened shelters and extensive defensive arrangements to overcome enemy bombardment. There is no way IAF will degrade PAF's main bases as soon as the war starts, just a utopian fantasy of Indian fanboys. There is no doubt that IAF will send either strike packages or CM's on PAF's bases, but you do realize as soon as a strike hits, emergency crews immediately start repair work and activate contingency protocols. I think you should be more worried about IAF's strike planes such as MIG29 and SU30MKI which are extremely maintenance oriented and will require extensive maintenance before it can be launched again in the air. Compare that to PAF's assets which are simple and maintenance friendly and will be up in the air in a matter of minutes. Also owing to more pilots per aircraft, PAF will be able to launch more sorties per aircraft compared to the IAF heavy weights that require more maintenance.
I will reiterate my point again, what superiority of numbers are you talking about. Station 3 squadrons to cover your Northern flank; than split the remaining aircrafts for AD and CAS roles, how many aircrafts do you have left for AS?
India is not half as vulnerable as Pakistan to these threats
You wish, these are just make feel good statements. If India wasn't half as vulnerable, believe me she would have launched a strike in 2001 and 2008. But India is very well aware of her vulnerabilities, that is why she chose not to engage in a duel with Pakistan. I am firm believer of actions speaking louder than words, putting the words aside, the actions of Indian Armed Forces speak for themselves in the last decade about their vulnerability. Pakistan can cause equal amount of damage to India as India can cause to Pakistan, God Bless missiles for that.
not only are very good SAM's being procured and in good numbers, the bases are spread out, and present in the heartland of India. Even when these bases are targeted the defence is good in depth and assets to be fielded spread out.
The more spread out the bases are the more time to engage in sorties. In a modern warfare, timing is everything. He who looses time looses the war. You should know better. There is a reason why IAF is upgrading her defences in Ambala and airbases in Punjab because she realizes the importance of time. A delay in sortie is equivalent to loosing the battle.
Not the very least is the fact that to achieve the same level of degradation effect on IAF, Pakistan has to fire multiple times the number of missiles that India has to, for the same effect, just on account of bigger assets. Secondly the CM's themselves will be intercepted at a rate greater than Pakistan does.
That we will have to see. For IAF to effectively degrade PAF's assets, she will need to get close to the border to fire the CM's. As of now, SU30MKI's have not been integrated with Brahmos so most likely India would need to fire it from a ground based system which effectively decreases the range. While on the other hand PAF's can fire Raad from the air or PA can fire Babur from the land with greater ranges.
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